


The Spellfull Sixties ( Part one)

by Wintero



Series: The Spellfull Sixties [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Friendship, Fun, Love, Multi, Post-Marauders Era (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-21 13:28:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 55,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30022485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wintero/pseuds/Wintero
Summary: { UPDATED VERSION!}The Marauders went down in Hogwarts history, but their tale is one of many tales, for before them the kings, and queens of Hogwarts were the schools most well known names- names that would undoubtedly find themselves planted in every history book for the roles they held in a game of war twice played....Find first part of the tale of those select students here in 'The Spellfull Sixties! from years one to two- and prepare for a ' Groovy ' ride.
Relationships: Andromeda Black Tonks/Ted Tonks, Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Series: The Spellfull Sixties [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208507
Kudos: 2





	1. Tonks

May 30th 1960   
  


Ted sat at the window of the Tonks cottage, peering out as rain pattered down onto the panes of cracked glass, sparkling the light of sunset as it rested over distance waves, casting an amber glow onto his tanned skin and greenish eyes that searched the loom of the passing storm clouds that had already done their work, leaving behind soaked grass and a fresh smell in the air that filled his little nose with all of the remnants of a beautiful summer that had the year before passed. They'd, him and his mother, spent most of it in the land around the cottage, sitting on the edge of the cliffs with him resting his head to his mothers shoulder as she strummed away on her guitar, with him peering up at her from beneath his lashes as her black lined mouth moved, a cigarette resting at the rightmost corner as her spiked hair rustled in the wind. And every so often she would pass him the guitar, telling him which strings to pluck and pull at , making his own sounds whilst humming along as she kicked her legs over the edge, teetering between life and death. And she would throw her head back, calling out into the world, 'This is life!!', to which her son would always....always smile. For he loved his mother- and she, him. She was loved by everyone actually, especially Teds father, who now paced back and forth behind his son, glancing every so often to the small clock that ticked up on the cold stony wall. He would often say , ' She's an' angel she is' ,with his thick welsh accent that had passed on to his son, which was adored by anyone who'd speak to him, beleiving that it was the sweetest little thing. Yet sometimes he'd have to slow down a bit because he'd speak to quickly and his words would just all bunch up together into a jumble of letters, slang and sounds. But he was proud of his accent, and both of his heritages. You see his mother was part spanish, meaning that he'd learned to speak it from a young age- and they'd make up little inside jokes about people when friends would come over. For example they'd often invited a man named Mr Turpin to their house, who was the local shop keeper, and commented on how he looked like a terepin outloud, to which he never undertsood. It was such a grand thing. And he'd learned to sing in Spanish too, that was the most important thing. His mother would say , 'That'll do you good with the ladies one day my boy' , though he didn't have much interest in ladies at that point. He was only eight, nearly nine ....and he was quite behind academically compared to many nine year olds...most probably because he'd never actually been to school...well for more than a few hours that is . His mum taught him at home. Everything he knew was from her.

The first time she'd tried to stick him in school he had a fit when they started spellings- so she took him out. She never would force him to do anything that he really didn't want to do. It meant that she didn't have to worry about him being upset, and he didn't have to have any trouble at all. However, Mr Tonks, a logical and educated man, wasn't too happy about this - Yet he was easily won over by his mums Buenelo's. He could have actually eaten some of his mums Buenelo's in that moment as he waited, continuing to stare out of the window. "-Tad...when is Mam gonna' be home- she said we'd go out when she got back-?-".

"-I- I dunno lad- I called her work but there was nothin' on tha' other line-", he frowned, leaning back into the sofa cushions. Mrs Tonks worked in a bar in Dover town, a good few miles away from where they lived- and a few times Mr Tonks had wondered why on earth she had chosen to continue to work there. He was a mechanic himself, and the only one in a good few miles. He also loved making things, like little trinkets, which was what he would sometimes do with his son- who learned he had a talent for making music boxes rather than engines like his father did 'for fun'. But one of his favorite things he ever made with his father was the light on his mothers 1959 Francis Barnett , which let out a heart shaped purple glow. Purple was her favorite colour, and his too. Most of his clothes were purple , and he always said that when he was older he would dye his dark hair purple too, to which his father quickly responded with , 'Well there goes my hope for grandchildren'. "-She was supposed to have been back earlier....How about you go outside and play- but stay away from that bloody cliff when you do- Don't want ya' toppling off of there. We'll never bloody get you back -".

"-Yes Tad-", Ted hopped from his seat, bouncing over towards the door, where he shoved his feet into a set of boots, tugging his coat down. And he grabbed onto the handle ready to leap out of the door.

"-Edward!- one more thing lad-". His shoulders siezed up at the name. There was one other thing that he loved about his mum, and that was that she never, ever called him Edward. He was always Ted. Just Ted. "-You better be back in this house before the moon is-". He angled his arm somewhere between a straight line and 90 degrees. "-That high up in the air-".

"-Okay-", he stepped out onto the wet grass, allowing the scent that had once been muffled by thin windows to fill his nose entirely . It was such a nice smell. And so, not listening to his fathers warnings, Ted began to hop along towards the cliffs edge, serenading himself as the seagulls flapped overhead. "- **Put your head on my shoulder** -", he sang, making slow dance like motions to an unheard beat of a very familliar song. It was a song that his mum and dad had danced to at their wedding, and Mrs Tonks spent a great deal of time singing it. "- **Hold me in your arms ,baby** -". He sat down at the edge of the cliff, dangling his legs over the edge as the waves crashed up against the face below him, turned purple by the sunset of which he was silhouetted, searching the Horizon. "- **Squeeze me oh so tight** -". He could almost feel his mothers arms around him. "- **Show me that you love me too** -". And he sat there for a good while, watching dusk turn to nightfall before his young gaze, until he heard the door to the Tonks home swing open, slamming into the brickwork. "-Tad?-". He examined his fathers face which was filled with a great amount of panic. And the next thing he knew he was sat infront of his dad on the Francis Barnett, racing through the country lanes to Buckland hospital, where they dove from it with Mr Tonks holding Teds hand tightly as he rushed into Urgent care, speaking for a moment to the receptionist before being taken to a the doorwar to an Operating room, infront of which a doctor greeted him, giving a sad glance to little Ted, who looked around, entirely confused. In a moment such a peaceful evening had taken the most dramatic of turns.

"-Why don't you sit over there young man-", he instructed, pointing to a row of clean, white plastic chairs, "-You'll be fine-".

"-G-Go on Ted-", instructed Mr Tonks, his voice shaking a little. And the tone frightened little Tonks to the core, who nodded quickly, rushing over to the seats to sit down in almost near silence , watching the doctor lean towards his fathers ear- to which he brought his knees to his chest, closing his eyes, covering his own ears as he supposed by the fact that he had been sent away that he wasn't supposed to listen in on their conversation.

"- **At last** -", he then sang quietly to himself to drown out all over sounds, "- **My love has come along**....-".

"-Was your wife aware-", spoke the doctor, giving another little glance to Ted, "-That she was sick?-".

"-Sick-", squeaked Mr Tonks, "-No- she isn't sick ...how could she be sick?- she was perfectly fine this morning....".

"-So she wasn't aware-", he brought the clip board that had been pressed to his chest up into sight, scribling on it. And Mr Tonks scanned the letters, feeling his breath escape him."-Mr Tonks....Your wife...she had a tumor on her brain....she collapsed at work as I am sure you are aware....and we have tried to....help-".

"-No..not my Nymphadora....-", he turned a little pale, "-She's fine though...right...shes...okay..-".

The doctors look argued with the deepest desire of Mr Tonks' heart at that moment. She wasn't 'okay'. Not in the slightest. "-I am sorry sir....but there is little we can do....you may go and see her in a moment...but....theres a great chance that she may not wake up...and even if she does...she wont....she won't be able to survive without medical treatment, constant care....-".

"-She was fine-", repeated Mr Tonks, this time sounding a little bit as though he were accusing the doctor of something ,"-This morning she got up- got dressed- kissed Ted- left the house- and she's gotta' now come back from work. Dinners in the oven...dinners in the oven for her- its her favor....".

"-Mr Tonks....I am sorry-". Hethen turned to stare blankly at Ted, watching his little mouth moving frightenedly . And he could faintly hear his hushed singing, feeling his heart shatter. "- I would suggest calling some family... to see if they would like to-".

"-Her only family is her sister- and she lives in Spain....-", he felt himself go a little cold, "-I should tell him....don't you suppose-".

"-Maybe wait a moment Mr Tonks- is there anything I can get you- I beleive your in a bit of-".

"-I'm fine- I'm fine-", he spoke twice, trying to tell himself that he was fine , "-I have to tell the boy-". He then carefully trudged his way over to Ted, coming to slowly sit beside him. And he took his hands into his palms, pulling them away from the boys ears. Yet the moment that their eyes met....his mothers eyes....Mr Tonks could do nothing but break down into tears, pulling little Ted to his chest as though he would never let go. Yet Ted did not cry all the same. Instead he just held his father back, filled with confusion and emotions that he did not understand.

That he did not wish to understand.  
  


///////

May 30th 1963  
  


Ted rested on the same cliff, he had sat on the evening that....it had happened, just this time holding a bunch of flowers over the edge, watching as petals fell down, down and down until consumed by the ravaging waves beneath him. He had grown a little, now bearing slightly longer hair and most distinct features , such as a set of neat freckles lining his face from ear to ear that had come into view, and a piercing in his ear that he had placed himself to match the one his mother had, which he now only saw in still, lifeless photographs that sat about the house like a shrine, being the only non-dust covered item in the entire place. And following a motion of wind Ted flumped back onto the grass, allowing his legs to continue to dangle, which gave him quite the topsy turvy view of the house, infront of which stood a very strange looking woman in deep green robes with a large hat sat atop her head. So he rolled onto his stomach, pushing to his boots. "-Me' Tad's not working today -", he stated , "-You're gonna ' have to come back another time-". He walked until he stood before her, smirking. "-And who told you that hat looked good- it's like a safety cone-".

"-Why thank ye'-", she replied sarcastically with a thick scottish accent, "-But i'm actually here to see you Mr Tonks- and your father-". Ted furrowed his brows, leaning towards the slightly opened door.

"-Tad- there's a strange woman out her to see us-".

"-What!?-", called a voice from the darkness inside, followed by a great amount of crashing from plates dropping into the sink. And after a moment Mr Tonks appeared at the door, seeming far more aged than he had before. There were dark bags beneath his eyes, and his teeth had gone a little blackened from a great amount of smoking- And his middle was rounder too. Yet he dressed rather stylishly, with what was left of his hair brushed over to one side. "-Oh- Hullo there-".

"-Hello-", greeted the woman, reaching into her skirt pocket. And after a moment she drew out a sealed envelope. "-This is adressed to a Mr Edward Tonks-".

"-Ted-", he corrected, holding his hand out . And he brought the writing on the front to his eyes, turning it around to spot a strange waxy crest before then glancing up apprehensively to the woman who smiled at him . It seemed strange for him of all people to be receiving a wax sealed letter in any capacity. Yet he decided to brush his doubt away, pulling it off in one swift motion, allowing it to flip open . And he narrowed his eyes in attempts to read it. "-D....d.....d.....- ". He held it back towards the woman, who checked a watch that had been pinned to her chest. "-Can you read it...please?-".

"-Of course-", she took the letter back kindly, "-Dear Mr Tonks- We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry-".

"-Witchcraft!-", scoffed Ted's father, "-What do you take us for- fools?-".

"-Assuredly not-", she returned firmly, "-I am Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry- and the Professor of Transfiguration- not that a Muggle such as yourself would know much about that-".

"-I- Muggle...", Mr Tonks couldn't tell if the woman was being truthfull , or if she was part of some well concocted scam, "-Witchcraft is not real-".

"-I can assure you, Mr Tonks-", she allowed a wand to fall from her sleeve, flicking it so that a ball of light came to the tip. And the Tonks' eyes widened at the sight. "-That magic is very much real. Though I would not reccommened going around telling any Muggles about it , that would not go down kindly with the Ministry- There would be some obliviations in such a case-".

"-Thats it-", stated Mrs Tonks, watching the ball closley , "-I've finally gone mad-".

"-Thats well keen-", beamed Ted, not nearly feeling the same as his father, "-Can I try?-".

"-With your own wand- in time-", she stated, "-You must first go to Diagon Alley, and find Ollivanders-". Minerva pointed at a section of the letter that looked very much like a list. "-That is all you require for Hogwarts- there-".

"-So what are you trying to say here-", cut in Mr Tonks, "-That my son is some kind of Magician?!-".

"-A Wizard-", corrected Professor McGonagall.

"-A Wizard....-", his voice droned out in a hysteric manner, "-Right....My sons a Wizard....A magic man- Like Abracedabra - poof- sparkles....".

"-Well I wouldn't exactly say 'sparkles'-", affermed Minerva, "-and I would avoid shouting 'Abracedabra' anywhere near Hogwarts or Diagon alley-".

"-This is mental-", Mr Tonks sat down on the doorstep, searching his mind for any kind of rationality for what was happening, "-It makes no sense-".

The woman took a moment to realise that things were not going nearly as smoothly as she intially beleived that they would have. "-Okay - let me admit- this is my first time doing this thing-", sighed Minerva, dropping her rather statured demeanour for a moment, "-Your son is a wizard Mr Tonks- a Magical Wizard- and on the first of September he will be joining the rest of his classmates at Hogwarts school for Witchcraft and Wizardry. He will get on the train at eleven Am sharp at Platform Nine-and-three-quarters with all of his belongings, himself and his wits-".

"-Why do I need a train?- and my belongings...?".

"-Hogwarts is what Muggles would refer to as 'a boarding school', Mr Tonks-". Ted seemed quite less keen than before. He'd never been to any school, let alone a boarding school. He imagined it to have these tall, looming walls, and gloomy halls that seemed ever so horrid.

"-But what about my Tad....-". He frowned. There was no way that he could leave him all alone at the cottage. No way in hell. Without his mother he would be entirely alone -A fate that he would wish upon nobody. "-...Thank you for your invitation... but I can't go...I have to stay here-".

"-Ted-", frowned Mr Tonks, glancing to the woman who muttered to herself in a rushed way.

"-Mr Tonks- your place has been secured at Hogwarts since your birth- all young Witches and Wizards must attend Hogwarts and learn to use their magic- even if they are...apprehensive-", she stated factually, "-You need to- no , must go to Hogwarts!-". Yet her choice of words may not have been the best in her final statement to the young man.

Ted then glared at the woman. Nobody told him what to do, especially not some strange lady in a dodgy hat."-I Must not do anything-". And with that he stormed into the house, slamming the door as hard as he could.

Minerva then sighed, turning upon the bewildered father who looked shocked out of his fragile mind. "-Mr Tonks....I suggest you have a conversation with your son-".

"-It's not like I can force him to go-", laughed the man, feeling near insanity, "-His Mam never forced him to do anything- if he really doesn't want to go...he wont....but if he changes his mind...then - you know....I.....Sorry my heads gone all funny...its the anniversary of my Wifes death you see-". Minerva seemed a litte taken aback. She hadn't been aware of such a fact. "-I am trying....you know....I...". He groaned. "-Please tell me this is some practical joke...- or that i'm dreaming at least...-".

"-Fraid' not, Mr Tonks-", Minerva replied firmly. She honestly didn't understand what was so hard to wrap your head around. But then again she had forgotten the naive nature of the common muggle when faced with the 'unnatural'. "....I will be back this weekend-", she then announced, "-To guide the pair of you to Diagon Alley...you have until then to convince him that he must attend Hogwarts....".

He peered up to her. "-That would be far easier If I were convinced myself....-". They were then left in a moment of awkward silence, to which Minerva didn't know what to say, and if she were to have said anything it wasn't like Tonks could comprehend anything in his mind to respond with. "-Gimme that letter...-". McGonagall handed it to the man, who scanned it all easily, frowning in thought. "-I always knew Ted was special- you know he's my kid....every good parent thinks that their kids somethin' more than just another ankle-biter....but not like....this....".

"-Your son has the oppertunity here to become a great Wizard one day...as many before him...in a world which, quite frankly, needs more magic...-". Minerva then stepped away from him with a sigh. "-I'll leave you with your thoughts, Mr Tonks - I am late to one of the O.W.L's tests for my fifth years-". And in the blink of an eye the woman dissapeared from sight, leaving Mr Tonks, as she had said, alone with his thoughts.


	2. Three Crows

August 31st 1964

"-Bella!!!-", a small girl with wild Black curls appeared from a grand doorway, followed very closely by a tired brunette and a blonde, who grabbed for the wand in her grasp which she had stolen, "-Give it back!-". It was a humid summers evening, and rushing about the Rosier manor had lead to great beads of sweat forming atop their dark brows, coming to drip off of their jaws as they made their way quickly to the top of a set of grand steps as the Brunette caught up with her, slipping so that she landed on her bottom to come to slide down on a lavish skirt all he way to the base as Bellatrix cackled with each passing ledge. And because of the stifness of the steps and the fine fabric of her dress, the pace in which she slipped was rather comical. "-Ow!-", she whined finally, "-That was your fault Bella-".

"-You're the clutz ,Andy-", smirked Bellatrix, spinning the wand about, before throwing it towards her nonchalantly, "-Here-". And Andromeda caught it at the bottom of the steps as Bellatrix sat on the bannister, sliding down it whilst closely followed by Narcissa ,who at first attempted to climb up herself, but gave in after realising that she was too short. "-There's a lot of steps at Hogwarts- you best watch out for them-". If the pair were to have stood on either side of a doorway many could have been tricked that they were looking into a mirror, except for a few minor differences, such as the fact that Andromeda had pale hazel eyes, and slightly more colour to her cheeks with far lighter hair- but nowhere near as light as Narcissa's, which may as well have been pure white.

"-So you say-", she returned regally, "-But I suppose that I'll have big sister Bella with me-".

"-Pfft-", she chuckled, looking the girl up and down, "-Your own your own Andy-".

"-Hey-", her sister squeaked, drawing her wand, "- _Rictumsempra!_ -". Yet Bellatrix was too quick, meeting her sisters spell with the same one from her wand, which they held against eachother as Narcissa marveled at the silver lights that collided with eachother . And she watched them push more and more power into the spell as they found themselves in the centre of the entryway hall, being examined by their Uncle Alphard as he too made his way down the steps towards them, marvelling at the two girls matching eachother, despite being almost two years apart in age. They were far more efficient in their magical practices than the regular magical child, and that could be blamed upon his brother, before his love of the drink, earnestly teaching them eachday.

"-Who do you recon will give in this time?-", he asked to little Narcissa, leaning onto the bannister with a smirk.

"-Bella- Bella is stronger-", stated Narcissa, balling her little fists in anticipation.

"-Well- I will have to go with Andromeda then-", he smirked, watching as Bellatrix's hand began to slowly slip from her wand.

"-G-o-T you-".

"-Girls!-", Both released the spell at the same time, leaving no loosers to be seen (except from a sad little plant pot) as Druella placed her hands on her rounded hips, giving a glare to Alphard, "-So you are just watching them cause trouble then?-". Alphard shrugged , hopping down the last few steps like a man half his age. "-Honestly- i'll have that brother of yours put you out like a lost puppy if you continue to encourage the girls to behave like mad-Witches-".

"-Mad-Witches-", he almost gasped, "-All I see here is brilliant Witches-". The man chuckled to himself. "-The only 'Mad-witch' is my sister-". They girls giggled a little. "-Batshit that one is-".

"- _Language_ -", scolded Druella, though the expressio that came over her face seeemd to greatly agree as he passed her by, "-Now come on ladys- dinner time-". Bellatrix was the first one to speed of after Alphard, followed by Narcissa, who paused , taking her mothers hand sweetly- which left Andromeda hanging behind, who sped up to be beside Alphard, smiling to him with a certain giddy glint in her eyes.

"-Uncle Alphard...can you tell me more stories tonight?-", she whispered in a hushed way, watching as he brought his finger to his lips as they turned a few corners, opening a set of Raven doors to find a grand dining room, within which sat a table covered in all kinds of delicacies as house-elves rushed back and forth, serving them onto plates. And at the head of it, in a deep green chair, sat Cygnus Black, who opened his arms widely, sloshing about the wine that resided in his glass.

"-Brother!- Come sit beside me-".

"-Of course-", he laughed, making his way around the table to sit in the seat that had been originally reserved for Druella. But she gladly sat to the right of him instead, beside her darling Narcissa, leaving Bellatrix and Andromeda to be paired together.

"-I could have easily beaten you-", stated Bellatrix, watching as a house-elf sliced a slither of beef, coming to place it on her plate, "-Truely-". She took a moment to wrinkle her nose at him.

"-You continue to tell yourself that, Bellatrix-", stated Andromeda, shaking her head.

"-I could have-", she argued, lifting up one of the selection of forks beside her plate, "-I am the stronger one of us too-and the more talented-".

"-Oh _really_ -", smirked Black with a chuckle, "-Well then - if you say so-".

"-If I say so? -". She sounded as though she had fallen into disbeleif. "- I know so. What can you do other than the stuff than I can do-".

"-Sing-", returned Andromeda, seeming far less confident than before.

"-You never sing to us though, so how am I supposed to know that is true?-". She stabbed the fork into the beef. "-I am _sure_ that you can't sing-".

"-Whatever you say Bella-", returned Andromeda, glancing across the table to Alphard as he held a blank face, letting his brothers mutterings pass over his head like wind. And at one point he pulled a face to the girl, which made her giggle, snorting a little- then setting Bellatrix off.

"-Andromeda-", scolded Druella, "-A lady does not snort-".

"-Unless shes a pig in a dress-", joked Bellatrix, receiving quite the look of dissaproval, "-Sorry...Mother-".

"-Pigs do not always snort- no-", then stated Andromeda, "-They snuffle and chortle?-".

"- I don't know-". Bellatrix had never seen a pig before. All she knew was that they were filthy round creatures who loved rolling about in their own excriment. "-The only pig I know is-". She cocked her head to Druella.

"-Are you calling mother-", she lowered her voice, "- _Fat_?-".

"-Yes-", smirked Bellatrix, examining Andromeda's response, "-Oh c'mon- don't you agree?-".

Andromeda glanced to her. "-I just think Mothers quite pretty- I especially like her hair today-".

"-Ugh-", Bellatrix slumped into her chair, "-You are really no fun-".

"-And being mean about mother is fun to you?-", returned Andromeda, "-Being mean is not fun-".

"-And who said that?-", returned Bellartrix, already knowing the answer.

"-N-Nobody-", lied Andromeda, her voice getting a little higher.

"-Oh shove off- I know Uncle Alphard told you that-", she bit a chunk of beef, cheweing it thuroughly before speaking again, "-Hes weird Andromeda. Aunt Walburga thinks so-".

"-Aunt Walburga has....too many opinions-", retorted Andromeda.

"-And you -", Bellatrix pointed with her fork, "-Don't have enough of them-".

"-Bellatrix-", then called Cygnus, bringing the table to a momentairy silence, "-I expect you to be looking out for eligable bachelors at this winter Ball-". Her eyes seemed to widen, to which Andromeda couldn't help but giggle. "-You are thirteen soon- that will mean that you are in the gap of betrothal age-",

Druella cooed. "-Oh dear- how the time has flown-".

Bellatrix would have greatly liked to have flown to another planet in that moment. "-Right-", she smiled falsely, "-Betrothal... _lovely_...". And as the attention slowly faded back to seperate chatter, she groaned.

"-You aren't really going to let him Marry you off- are you?-", asked Andromeda.

"-Well it isn't like i've got much choice-". She leaned in towards her. "-But I wont be going quietly- I'll be going kicking and screaming-".

"-And complaining- as per your nature-". Bellatrix shoved her playfully. "-But I am sure you will find a suitable match-".

"-Right-", she droned, "-And what about you?-".

"-I still have two years-", Andromeda almost boasted, "-To run for the hills-".

"-Hey-", smirked Bellatrix, "-You run and I'll find you. We all have to be betrothed some day-".

They both then glanced to Narcissa, thinking the same thing at the same time. "-Well one of us may as well already be betrothed-".

"-You know I really don't understand her infatuation with Lucius Malfoy-", Bellatrix shook her head, "-He's funny looking- and the hair-".

"-He's not funny looking-", she argued, "-Though I have to agree it is a bit odd- the hair-".

"-Like a model witch-", commented Bellatrix, to which both girls laughed .

"-He is rather feminine-", Agreed Andromeda.

"-Narcissa will end up being the Husband in that relationship-".

"-Oh that is mean-", she glanced to tiny Narcissa, watching as she stabbed at her food, "-Though I worry for her.....being so close to Malfoy. What if she is to be married very young. Once you are married there is no turning back-".

"-Well then she'll just have to deal with it-", Bellatrix smiled, "-Like the rest of our wealthy souls-".

*****

After dinner the girls were instructed to go upstairs, get washed and head straight to bed, swapping their elegant dresses for long night robes and blankets. And by the will of the summers heat they fell asleep quickly. Well, most of them. You see Andromeda had no intention of falling asleep, and when she heard Bellatrix's voilent snores, pulled the blanket from her body, stepping out of bed into the centre of their expensively decorated room, before making her way to the door, avoiding any creaky floorboards. And she slipped into the dark hallway, where little candles strewn on the walls provided dim lights, quickly scurrying down it towards the other end, from which a viewing point to the gardens could be seen through glass doors, on which Alphard stood, turning to greet her with a kind smile beneath a starry sky. "-Good evening Andromeda-".

"-Good Evening Uncle Alphard-", she responded, looking up at the sky. And he followed her gaze with a slight smile, before reaching into his pocket, coming to pass her some droobles gum. "-Oh yes-". She carefully took off the wrapper , shoving it into her mouth.

"-I know you love them-", he chuckled, "- And I'm having the elves make you up some butterbeer cookies...the journey to Hogwarts will be quite a long one-". Andromeda's chewing seemed to slow. She'd almost forgotten that the next day she was going off to Hogwarts....leaving behind her home. But she would be with Bella, so she was sure that she was going to be fine. "-Foods a good way to make friends on the express-".

"-I won't need to make friends-", stated Andromeda, who had never had any friends other than Bellatrix, "-I'm going to be with Bella-".

"-Well-", he seemed a little disbeleiving of her statement, "-You should keep that in mind just incase-".

"-Right-", she nodded, placing the gum from her mouth into the wrapper, "-Now do you have a story for me?-".

"-Well-", he leaned his back against the stone guards of the viewing point, "-More like wizdom-". Andromeda smiled, falling silent. "-There once was a crow...who was the same as all the other crows...the others meaning three . Siblings....raised in the same nest, upon the same treee. And now that crow, despite looking the same, he had his _little_ differences. He had one feather less than the other crows...and a tired eye....one that was caught by the attention of a common Pigeon-".

"-A pigeon-", laughed Andromeda, finding it to sound a little silly.

"-Well- some pigeons may catch a Crows eye- you never know-".

"-But they are entirely different-", she stated knowingly, "- A normal crow wouldn't look at a pigeon except as something that can be prey if it is injured-".

"-Ahh, you see- thats the thing-", he knelt down to place his hands on her shoulders, "- The other crows- well- they saw the pigeon as they 'should'. Yet the one , tired eyed crow, saw it as the most extroadinary creature- and so ,befreinded it-".

"-This sounds entirely unrealistic-", chuckled Anromeda, to which Alphard smirked, continuing. Yet she couldn't help but notice the rising seriousness of his tone.

"-The other crows...didn't like this...and so they threatened to throw the tired eyed crow from the nest...if he were to continue to follow the pigeon. So one day he stopped following her...despite feeling as though it was right for him to continue. And that day the Pigeon was shot from the sky by hunters. Yet if the crow had been there....he could have saved her-". Alphard frowned. "-Do you understand me Andromeda?-". She shook her head, looking into his eyes, which, now she noticed, one was a little lazy. "-What I am trying to say is... always do what you beleive is right- not what your _family_ tell you is right....because usually its the correct thing to do-".

"-But-", she furrowed her brows, "-What if its something that could get you in trouble?-".

Alphard searched her face. "-I...".

"-Andromeda-". They both turned to see Druella stood in the doorway in her night robes with a strange green mask on her face that clumped about her rounded chin.

"-Ahh- Busted-", he chuckled, standing up with a smile, "-Sorry Druella- Just wanted to tell her some stories before tommorow-". She inspected him for a moment, not trusting his words.

"-Andromeda- what did Alphard tell you about?-". The man suddenly seemed a little worried, which Andromeda noticed.

So, she told the truth. "-He told me a story about crows, Mother- would you like to hear it?-". The woman narrowed her eyes.

"-No- I suppose not-", she sighed, "-Back to bed- you must be up early tommorow-".

"-Okay-", she turned to look up at Alphard, who winked at her greatfully, "-Good night uncle-".

"-Good night Andromeda-", he bid farewell, watching her begin to skip down the hallway. And he had just been about to make his way inside, when Druella stopped him. "-What is it?-".

She barred her teeth. "-Whatever you told her- she wont listen-". He raised his head, trying to seem unknowing of what she meant. "-You cannot corrupt her as you have corrupted yourself- she is a true daughter of the house of Black-".

"-No-", he argued, "-She is Andromeda... And I see no way of corrupting her through a tale of crows- and I'm sure my brother will not view it that way-". Druella lowered her arm barricade. "-You know-", he settled his voice, "-She's quite extrordinary - especially for this family....-". He glared at her. "- You speak of being a true Black, when you are a Rosier yourself....you have no right-". And with that he made his way back inside, leaving Druella stood there, worried for the blastphemous words that he could have very well spoken to her daughter.


	3. The Booger bean

1st of September 1964

"-Hurry up- These _Muggles_ are everywhere-". Druella kept her hands firmly planted on Narcissa's shoulders, guiding her through the crowds of Muggles with a stiff upper lip as Bellatrix skipped behind , swinging about her luggage whilst cackling at the men and women in their suits and dresses , running back and forth. It was so chaotic, between the station announcements and the rolling of wheels on the sturdy floors. They looked so silly to her, all rushing and panicked looking. They were rather funny, if she were to have taken another look. It was like a zoo. And she was so caught up in her mental hypocricy that she almost forgot that she , herself was rushing. You see the Blacks had left rather too late that morning, and had too Floo to the leaky Couldron- yet it was so ram packed that they had been trapped in the centre of the room for about ten minuets, being forced to keep their heirs and graces about them as all eyes fell to the group at least once. The Blacks , of course were very recognisable for the Witches and Wizards of London, especially due to the common appearance of Walburga and Orion Black in the area's around Diagon Alley, who easily resembled her dear brother Alphard. They always seemed to turn heads, in whatever capacity -And as they walked Alphard held close to Andromeda's luggage, seeming far more interested than repulsed in the Muggles, as he often did. He watched them closely, hopping onto the muggle trains while laughing together, with there even being one very strangely attired Muggle surrounded by a group of young women as he strummed away on his guitar . And he leaned down to Andromeda, who was dressed in the most decorative purple dress, smiling at her as her long curls bobbed.

"-Tell me what you see- all around you-", he whispered. And Andromeda furrowed her brows, continuing to follow closely behind Bella. It was such a strange and sudden queiry . "-What the first thing that you noticed?-". It was safe to say that Alphard was entirely curious of her response, as he often way.

"- _Muggles_ -", she returned plainly, not understanding what he mean. And Alphard frowned a little . He'd honestly expected something a little less...pureblood. So he just nodded, standing up straight before coming to find a wall that sat between platforms nine and ten, giving the area around them a swift look before slipping through it into a cloud of smoke, robes and funny hats- now being surrounded by, instead of Muggles, all manor of witches and Wizards, who rushed about with luggage and creatures , practically throwing them onto the great red steam engine that hummed on the tracks, proudly labled , in the greatest gold, the 'Hogwarts Express'. It was as Andromeda had remembered it from before when they had picked up Bellatrix . The smell was even the same, capturing a persons breath with the sheer humidity of the air. And Andromeda spent a great deal of time looking around, examining her surroundings, to which Alphard purposely stayed beside her until her completely lost sight of Druella. And Black, once completing her examination of the place, had been about to inquire as to why he had not followed her , if not for Alphard guiding her straight towards the train without a flicker of hesitation. "-Uncle-", she cried, breaking away from him when they were at the front of the crowds, "-I must wait for Bellatrix- and mother".

"-You'll be late if you do-", he brought her right to the edge of the platform so that she could peer up into the train, seeing children waving from all of the windows with great smiles. And she glanced to the clock that sat high up above them, with the hand barely stroking eleven. "-Go- find a compartment- you have no need to wait for your sister or mother....beleive me-". He took a bag from his pocket, holding it out to her. "-Butterbeer cookies, as promised-". And Andromeda took the bag, smiling a little as he gave her a slightly proud look. "-Up you go my dear- Hogwarts awaits-". Yet despite his encouragement, she still felt as though she should wait for Bellatrix, and took to searching the horison with worried eyes. "-Andromeda- get up!-", spoke Alphard as the train whistle sounded out- And he lifted her up onto the train , watching as the metal step folded up and the door slid shut in her face, leaving Andromeda stood with her gaze to the red wood, nearly stumbling over as the train shuddered to a start just as Druella shoved her way through a crowd of waving parents, stopping with Narcissa glued to her side to watch as Andromeda's face appeared in the train window, looking back at her .

"-She's in the wrong train compartment- Bellatrix is right at the other end-". She stared at her brother in law in disbeleif as Narcissa detached herself from Druella, waving obliviously to Andromeda who gave her a worried smile back. Bellatrix always sat in the last car. He knew that well and proper.

"-I know-", returned Alphard, smiling to her snarkily, to which she could not have pulled her head any futher back into her neck in an appauled manner if she had tried. "-I beleive we should be leaving now....dearest sister in law-". And he turned away, making his way back into the crowds, as Druella, lost in immediate thought, followed, ignoring Bellatrix completely as she had been about to wave, who lowered her hand.

"-How rude-", she immediately slid open the door to the compartment behind her, coming to thump down on a seat beside a dark haired boy with hauntingly brown eyes, who sat across from what could only be described as his carbon copy, "-Rabastian- Do you know why my mother wouldn't wave at me?-". Rabastian Lestrange shrugged at her odd question , looking to Rudolphus.

"-Maybe she realised that she doesn't like you-", he teased, to which she stuck her tongue out at him.

"-Hes right-", continued Rabastian, raising his head proudly, "-Parents always have their favorites- a favorite son and daughter usually...but with three girls-".

"-Two of you will be left out-", finished Rudolplus, folding one leg over the other, "-Your not as special now you aren't a First year-".

"-Shut up-", hissed Bellatrix in a disbeleiving way, "-And if anything, I would be mothers favorite in any capacity. I'm the best-".

"-But what about that sister of yours?-", pressed Rabastian, leaning towards her, "-Andromeda I beleive -".

"-Andromeda-", scoffed Bellatrix, "-shes....pfft- she's not better than me-". The girl lowered her voice with a smirk. "-Not in the slightest-".

Andromeda made her way down the train corridoor, peering in at every compartment as students greeted eachother, laughing and joking about- to which she felt entirely un-welcome on multiple occasions, especially when one rather fierce looking group of forth years shut the windows curtain on her . And right at the furthest end of the carriage she , thankfully, found an empty compartment, to which she had no complaints in entering, coming to climb up to the overhead compartment to place her luggage in it as she train shook along the tracks. And , once trapping it in place, she flumped down onto her seat so that her skirt floated about her like the gown of a princess, elegantly draping over the rather stiff seat as she peered out of the window, suddenly coming to see the view of Muggle london, from which she spotted cars, large buildings, trees, Muggle trains- the lot- which was a rather short sight as it wasn't long until the train had made its steady way out of london, revealing fields of green farmland, filled with Animals and crops that she beleived looked ever so pretty. And after about a silent hour, the door to the compartment slammed open, startling her half to death. "-Oh Salazaar-", she grasped her heart, turning to see a little small round girl, with red cheeks and equally as red waves of hair that hung about her sharp jaw- And she dressed in a woolen jumper, with a striped skirt, white socks and black 'dolly' shoes that looked not far off from being to small.

"-Please tell me-", she spoke with a rather....common accent - compared to Adromeda that was, "- That you don't have any siblings-".

"-Not with me right now-", chuckled Andromeda, to which the girl huffed in relief, leaning down behind the door to pick up her luggage. And she drew it to her chest, coming to climb up onto the train seat to place it in the compartment. "-You look....exaughsted-".

"-Well you would too if you'd had no sleep-", she returned, then coming to slump over the chair, "-I'm so bloody nackered- my eyes are heavy an' all- Like one of thoose droopy looking dog-".

"-Why's that?-", pressed Andromeda.

"-Because my brothers decided to 'experiment' with a bloomin spell they'd read in some book -", she brushed back some of her hair behind her ear to reveal some that had been completely charred, "-nearly lost an ear- though I'm more surprised that they read anything in the first place- nearly dropped dead my dad did when he found out about them getting through anything other than a box of sweets-".

"-Oh - that sounds dangerous-", returned Andromeda as the girl yawned.

"-Well- I'm used to it-", she streatched, "-Just not when I need to get up early-".

"-Oh- how early? - Do you live far from St Pancras?-", Andromeda brought her bag of cookies onto her lap.

"-Dover-", she returned, "-a few miles West of it and inland from the coast. Have you ever been ?-".

"-I can't say I have....". She shifted the bag a little looking the girl up and down. "-Would...Would you like a Butterbeer bisuit?-".

"-Would I?-", she scoffed, "-Those are well expensive-". Her brown eyes then met the bag. "-You aren't telling me you have some- are you?-".

"-The house-elves made them-", she carefully opened the bag, taking out one to pass it to her new compartment companion, who stared at the biscuit, snatching it away after a moment.

"-Thank you-", the girl beamed, having been about to take a chomp, when she paused, "-Did you say _House elves_?-".

"-Yes-", Andromeda furrowed her brows, "-Doesn't everyone have house-elves?-".

"-Only if they're stuck up their own arse-", chuckled the ginger, surprising Andromeda. She'd never heard anyone her age curse. Well she supposed the girl was her age. "-I'm Molly by the way- Molly Prewett-".

"-Oh- Andromeda Black-", she returned, to which Prewett seemed a little weary, "-What?-".

"-N-Nothing-", she sat up straight, "-Just aren't the Blacks proper- stuck up-".

"-No-", Andromeda shook her head, "-Do you think I'm stuck up?-".

Molly narrowed her eyes. "-Not really...I mean- you gave me food...and you seem nice enough-".

"-Thank you-", smiled Andromeda, "-You seem very nice too-".

"- _Nice_ -", laughed Molly, "-I'm not nice. I'm evil really-".

"-Oh- is that so-", chuckled Andromeda to her sarcasm.

"-Really -", returned Molly. And They fell into silence for a moment. Andromeda didn't much know what to say to Molly- and Molly was worried that she'd end up saying something a bit to 'brash' for a Black. Well, that was until she took a sharp breath. "-Your sister is Bellatrix Black, right?-".

"-Yeah-", Andromeda sat forwards on her seat, "-Do you know her?-".

"-I've heard my brothers talk about her- they're in most of her classes-", she responded, not making their impression of the girl sound very good, "-Fabian and Gideon-".

"-Oh-", she furrowed her brows. She'd never heard their names before in her life, ever. Actually she'd never really heard any names of anyone that Bellatrix had met at Hogwarts. She'd only talked about herself and her time at the school that summer , not the people she had met. Well that was except from the Lestrange twins, who had come to be her good friends, despite the fact thay Druella didn't like the idea of her daughter having two boys as friends. However the Lestrange's were purebloods, and so, shared their common values- which made her worry a little less. "-What are your brothers like?-".

"-They are _'like'_ the main reason I am in this compartment-", she chuckled, "-Don't get me wrong, I love em' to pieces-". Molly then sighed. "-But they can be a bit much- they're always fighting...but boys will be boys I suppose-".

"-Oh... I wouldn't know-", returned Andromeda, crossing her legs politely , "-I only have sisters- though I suppose my Uncle Alphard is kind of like a big brother....and Sirius and Regulus, my cousins, we're close also- though they're too little for fighting-".

"-Trust me-", Molly lowered her voice, "-I wish I had sisters rather than brothers. But don't tell Fabian- he's emotional that one-". Anromeda chuckled, taking another good look at the girl.

"-Wow-", she then pointed to her earrings, which looked as though they were made out of clay, swirling about her ear, "-I love those-". And Molly seemed genuinely suirpised that such an elegantly attired girl as Andromeda 'loved' her earrings.

"-Thank you-", she smiled, "-I made them myself-".

Black brows raised. "-Thats amazing- maybe you could teach me how to do it one day-".

"-Maybe, Andromeda...._", Molly then thought for a moment, "-It's okay that I call you Andromeda, right?- i know some other purebloods can be a bit....eh-".

"-Its fine-", Black affirmed.

"-Right -". She dangled her legs for a moment, before smirking, blurting, "-I make jumpers too-".

"-Really?-", twinkled Andromeda. She'd never tried to make a jumper herself, but she was sure that it would have been something that was very , very hard to do.

"- _Really_ \- I made this one-", she pointed to her chest , on which Andromeda could now see some of the jumpers almost hidden imperfections, like the odd missing stitch or disheveled hatch -Yet she beleived they made it quite very unique.

She then reached forwards. "-Can I....".

"-Knock yourself out-", she held the jumper out towards Andromeda, allowing her to inspect it, "- I did it the muggle way- Mum used to do it that way too- she said it puts 'more love into it'- Though it bloody hurts your arms-".

"-I wouldn't know-", chuckled Andromeda, brushing some hair behind her ear after having seen enough, "-My mums not the....doing it the Muggle way type-". The Prewett girl seemed a little strange, but she was certainly also very nice. "-Anyhow- What house are you hoping for?- to be sorted into I mean?-".

"-Me?-", Molly glanced down to her jumper, "-I reconed that you would have guessed by the red jumper- I wanna' be in Gryffindoor with my brothers-".

"-Like me then-", smiled Andromeda, "-Just I want to be in Slytherin with my big Sister-".

"-I suppose so-", responded Molly, "-.....Though some Slytherins are a bit snakey from what i've heard....-". She then folded her arms. "-But I guess you could make an alright one....".Andromeda didn't know if what the girl had said was a compliment, so she just nodded. "-But I suppose we shall see what happens tonight-".

"-Of course-", agreed Black as a knock came to the door, "-Oh - The Trolly Witch-". And it slid open, filling the enclosed space with the scent of thousands of delacacies that were all carefully stacked and presented to only heighten their appeal.

"-Anything from the Trolley dears-", she croaked, to which Andromeda lifted her little bag.

"-I believe i'm already packed-", the girl returned, watching as Molly reached into her pocket, pulling out a measley handful of sickles, which only warrented her a box of Bertie Botts Every flavour beans that she carefully opened once the witch had left them alone again, holding it out to Andromeda.

"-Wanna' test your luck Andromeda?-", she asked.

"-Go on then-", Black reached in , taking out a single redish bean- to which Molly looked to the back of the box, scanning the possibilities.

"-Right-". She watched as Andromeda plopped it into her mouth. "-Its either strawberry or....Liver-".

Andromeda chewed slowly, wrinkling her nose a little to work out the taste as a burst of sweetness hit her tongue. "-Strawberry-", she then smiled.

"-Whattttt- you lucky bugger-", chuckled Molly, "-I always get the horrible ones-". She then proceeded to stuff her hand in, shoving a random bean into her mouth...and she gagged. "-EUGGHHHHHH - BOOGER!-". Andromeda couldn't help bust burst into laughter at her reaction. "-OHHH ITS BAD- ITS SO BAD-".


	4. Sorting

The Hogwarts express arrived at Hogsmeade station by nightfall in a puff of smoke and with the screeching of the breaks, which became quickly followed by childish laughter as the students began to pile off of the train, rushing away in their groups with the first years, easily distinguished by their fresh faces and apprehensive eyes, followed the becoming call of a Mr, "-Rubeus Hagrid-". He lifted his lamp over his scraggled beard, illuminating his face. "-Keeper of Keys and Ground and Hogwarts-". The man seemed rather proud of his title, athough it did not seem like much to Andromeda and the other students . But his happieniess was contaigous in the way that he spoke, filling the children with gleeful excitement as they followed him from the platform and down a dark dirt path towards the entrance of a forest that had tall dark trees which intertwined over their heads like matrimonial arches, looming like frozen shadows. And there were all these sounds around them, distant, yet there. One of these many sounds which Andromeda and Molly could recognise was the call of an owl, most likely delivering mail to Hogwarts. Or it could have very well been a wild owl. They would have never known. And the thought passed their minds quickly as , after walking for a good few minuets, they came to a rivers bank on which sat a row of old, wet boats that bobbed up and down, which they climbed into under Hagrids command, laughing as water splashed up the edges, soaking many of them through. "-Oh why's it always me-", complained Molly, flicking some of the droplets from her fringe as the boat juddered forwards towards open waters. And as it did so, Andromeda took a moment to lean over the side of the boat and place her finger tips in the water that she came to found was freezing cold. However all she could think of in that moment was the history of her situation. So many Witches and Wizards- even her parents- had passed over the lake to Hogwarts, maybe even in the boat that her, Molly and two other students sat, who gladly greeted Prewett with great big grins, well, from one of the duo.

"-Hey-", spoke first of them, who was a boy with short brown hair and ruddy skin, holding out his hand for Prewett to shake it, "-Amos Diggory-".

"-Molly-", she returned with a smile, "-Molly Prewett-". She then nodded her head to Black. "-And this one is Andromeda Black-". The boy seemed a little put off by Andromeda's name. Well that was until she smiled just as kindly as Molly had been.

"-Its very nice to meet you-", she glanced to the boy who sat beside him who had some strange qualities about him. He had dark hair and a long nose with small eyes that seemed unbelivably black, and his head rested away to one side as though he were shying away from something . "-And you are?-".

"-Q-Quinton-Thesius Scammander ...-", he returned quietly, as Andromeda's face seemed to light up with all of the infatuation in the world.

"-Oh my Salazaar- you're Newt Scamanders son- The Magizoologist-", she squeaked in excitement, to which he had a less than approving reaction, "-I've read all of your fathers works. We have them in our library-".

"- _Library_ -", scoffed Molly, "-You really are rich then aren't you Black-". Amos nodded his head with a chuckle as the call of the students from the boat over disrupted their conversation, prompting them to all turn their heads to spot what everyone else was looking at, which they came to find was the tall structure of Hogwarts school, propped up upon its mighty rocky pedistool. It was just as Andromeda had imagined it. Turrets, tall windows, and an ominously beautiful glow that invited in all who set their gaze upon it . It was simply...magical. And its 'amazing-ness' just grew as they came to dock in the boat house, making their way quickly up a set of steps that scaled the mountain and into a room, in which , atop its carpeted stairs, stood Minerva McGonagall, who tipped up her hat up as they came to near her , whispering about this and that until the single motion of her sleeve brough them to silence. "-Thats Professor McGonagall-", whispered Molly to Andromeda, who nodded, knowing who the woman was herself. She'd heard about her in an old Newspaper that her uncle had provided her with. She'd been a woman who could have had a promising Qudditch Career, yet she instead chose to become a Professor, which was rather strange.

"-Welcome students-", she then greeted with a smile, glancing about at all of them- And she had to take two looks at Andromeda, having , at a first glance, thought that Miss Bellatrix Black was not where she was supposed to be. Their resemblance was uncanny, and made the woman jumble her words a little . "-I-I hope you all had a grand journey here- and that you did not eat too many sweets-".

"-I never want to eat again after than bean-", gagged Molly beneath her breath, to which Professor McGonagall placed her hands on her hips.

"-Miss Prewett- speaking whilst a Professor is speaking will not give a good impression young lady-". Andromeda chuckled a little as Molly stared at the woman. "-Don't look so suprised that I know who you are-".She lowered her voice to a mutter. "-And for me that isn't for good reason-". Then she took a sharp breath, bringing back her Professional demeanour. "- As some of you may know, my name is Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry- and In a moment you will be passing through these doors to be sorted into your houses. Those being Gryffindoor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin. These houses will be your families for the time that you are here with us at Hogwarts, and in your classes you will have the ability to attain house points that will be put towards the end of the year when the house cup is awarded to the group with the most points-".

"-....My brothers ruined it last year-", then whispered Molly to Andromeda, ignoring Minerva's previous warning.

"-What do you mean?-".

"-I mean-", she continued, "-Gryffindoor had one more point than Ravenclaw and the pair of them went and got themselves a detention- which means a point each can be taken away-". She shook her head.

"-....Do you think thats how she already knows who you are?- Because of your brothers?-", assesed Black.

"-Well she would know my brothers well anway, wouldn't she-", stated Prewett, "-She's head of Gryffindoor house. She sent about three letters home to Dad last year-".

"-Now-", Minerva made her voice a bit louder, noticing that Molly had began to chatter again, "-If you would all like to follow me...in silence if you would. The chattering can wait -".

The first years all bunched together, squeezing up the stairs towards a set of great, heavy doors, which they passed through, coming to be faced with a Great hall that bore four long tables on which students of the different Hogwarts houses sat respectfully beneath a bewitched night sky, amongst which candles bobbed and danced about, flickering with the changes in their course, giving the room an almost amber glow. And at the utmost front of the room resided a another long table that sat Horizontal to the first years as they made their way along the partition between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, on which all of the Professors sat, with one man standing out from the bunch in particular. Albus Dumbledore. He was the famed Headmaster of Hogwarts, and looked the part too with his long white beard that hung just past his chest and the way he peered at them over the top of his half-moon glasses with all the pride of a father. And as they made their way towards a stool that sat just before a podium at the utmost front of the hall, a clash came from the Gryffindoor table, bringing everyones attention towards it. "- _MOLLY-MOLLY-MOLLY- YOU'RE OUR DOLLY- WE LOVE YOU SO !!!_ -". The room burst into laughter as two ginger boys, both specked with freckles and cheeky grins, stood up atop the Gryffindoor table, singing their hearts out, "- _MOLLY- MOLLY -MOLLY- COME AND JOIN THE BIG BOYS- BE A GRYFFINDOOR TOO !_ _!_ \- ".

"-MR AND MR PREWET!-", barked Professor McGonagall as each head of house tried to calm their tables whilst Molly and Andromeda couldn't help but laugh at them as they sank back into their seats, looking rather proud of themselves , "-That is a detention for disruptive behaviour!-".

"-I suppose _those_ are your brothers-", then assesed Black, finding their gesture rather amusing.

"-Well- You'd think so wouldn't you-", replied Prewett a little sarcastically, placing her hands on her hips.

"-Sorry about that students-", apologised Minerva, coming to pick up a scroll from the stool which had rested beside an old, manky hat, "-It seems that some of us cannot contain our house spirit -". She then allowed the scroll to unravel itself, falling down to just about her knee caps. There wasn't many first years that year, which was quite strange as the year before they had gotten many students. But the woman supposed that having smaller classes couldn't have done much harm. "-When I call your names you will come to sit on this stool-", she lifted the hat, allowing the students to watch it begin to writhe and wriggle, "-And you will be placed into your house upon the drop of the Sorting Hat-". Her eyes then scanned the list as the Professors sat forwards intriguedly, leaning over their empty plates and Goblets. It was always interesting to find out which house each new student would be placed in. Very, very interesting indeed. "- Amos Diggory-". And with that the Sorting ceremony began. Amos was hence sorted into Hufflepuff house, which welcomed him with a kind cheer, and he was followed by a little girl with short blonde hair and hazel eyes- And after her came Emmeline Vance, who was Ravenclaws first submission, and she certainly looked the part, all wizened and pretty. Then came Scamander, who was sorted into Hufflepuff too, ignoring the intrigue the announcement of his name had caused as Minerva then spoke, "-Molly Prewett-". And she'd half expected Fabian and Gideon to start singing again, but they didn't . They were far to concerned with where there sister could have possibly been sorted. They clasped their hands together, leaning forwards as though bracing for impact.

"-Good luck-", smiled Andromeda as Molly skipped to the stool, coming to slowly sit down on it with a cheeky smile as the hat carefully came to rest on her head.

-And after a very breif moment it bellowed, "-GRYFFINDOOR!-", to which the entire table errupted in cheers, with the Prewetts hopping back up onto their feet, thrilled entirely.

"- _MOLLY - MOLLY-MOLLY- WE'RE SO JOLLY-YOUR A GRYFFINDOOR NOW!!!_ -".

Minerva groaned, this time waiting for them to finish their fun as Molly squeezed between them at the table, to which they placed their arms over her shoulders in a protective manner as though defending her from the prying eyes of their fellow classmates. "-Welcome little sister-", grinned Gideon, "-Your one of us now-".

"-Yeah-", agreed Fabian, who then tapped the arm of the small boy who sat across from them, "-Well don't be rude and just stare - say hello-".

"-O-Oh-", he stuttered, peering into Molly's eyes for a moment as his pale skin started to turn quite red, "-Hi....Molly Prewett- I'm...Arthur Weasley-".

"-Its great to meet ya' Arthur-", she returned confidently, very much matching the energy of her brothers, "-I like your necklace-". Molly then immediately pointed to a chain that hung around the neck of his robes on which a little pendant sat. "-What is it?-".

"-I-Its a duck-", he responded timidly, "-I-I like ducks-".

"-Ducks are pretty cool-", responded Molly, "-Do you know Muggles have something called a rubber duck-".

The boys eyes seemed to sparkle in delight. "-H-how marvellous....but what are they for?-". The Prewetts shrugged rather in unison.

"-Andromeda Black-", then announced Minerva, as though Andromeda wasn't one of the only two remaining students left and had to be selected out of group of just over a dozen. And she gave her a rather peculiar look, examing her little face. She truely looked like Bellatrix - apart from when she were smiling as in that moment.

"-Shut up-", hissed Bellatrix to Rodulphus and Rabastian, who had taken to immitating the Prewett twins, bobbing in her seat in anticipation. And they all watched as Andromeda stepped up to sit down on the stall.

"-Salazaar-", Rabastian smirked, "-And I though we were identical-". He nudged Bella. "-She's like the prettier version of you-".

"-Prettier?-", hissed Bellatrix, to which Rodolphus nodded in agreement, "-Andromeda is not prettier than me-".

"-She is-". He smirked at her.

"-Is not!-".

"-Is-".

"-NOT!-", growled Bellatrix.

"- She really, really -".

"- _Slytherin_!-". Their argument was brought to a halt by the cheers of the Slytherin table- to which the three of them watched Andromeda come running over with a great wide smile, placing herself on the seat beside Bellatrix, who tried her best to twinkle at her little sister, despite her anger towards the Lestrange boys .

"-Oh isn't it wonderfull Bella-", exclaimed Andromeda as Bellatrix met the amused gaze of Rodolphus, who grimaced, "-We get to be together always now- like old times-".

"-Yeah-", Bellatrix sounded far less excited, "-It should be amazing Andy-".

"- Oh you must show me around the common room-", then continued Andromeda excitedly, "-And the school grounds. And the classrooms. And your favorite place. And where everything is so I sha-".

"-Andromeda...-". The girl paused mid- speech, her mouth still slightly open. "-Slow down- ".

The girl frowned. "-Sorry....I just got a bit excited-".

"-Well its annoying-", returned Bellatrix, looking to the front of the Hall as Dumbledore stood, commanding everyones attention after the final student was sorted.

"-Well- Welcome students-", he spoke with a soft , withered voice, "-I hope that you all find yourselves at home within Hogwarts' halls- and in your new houses too". He smiled. "- Now, just before the feast begins, I have a few notices-". His hands clasped together with a collision of rings. "- As you all know the Forbidden forest is still strickly forbidden. I will not have students sneaking off as we had last year-". He gave a particular look to the Prewetts. "- Also - This is a reminder that sneaking around after hours is strickly not allowed- and any student found about castle will be submitted to detention with either me or Professor McGonagall-". There was a dissaproving murmer that swept the room. "-Now- with that being said-". He opened his arms. "-Let the feast begin-".And all types of food began to appear on all of the plates scattered about the tables, ranging from small pumpkin pasties , to great full cooked chickens that steamed an sizzled, and the students took no hesitance in begining to eat.

"-Lord o' mighty-", Molly grabbed for chicken drumstick, "-This looks amazing!-".

"-Right-", Agreed Gideon with a cheeky smirk,"-Puts dads cooking to shame-".

"-Oi Gids-", nudged Fabian, "-Don't be rude- he's getting better-".

"-Yeah-", chuckled the boy, "-Only with Gareth's help-".

"-Hey...Molly-", spoke Arthur as the pair began to bicker over their fathers culinary skills, "- Do you like really like my necklace?-". He spoke in a whispered way as though what he were saying would have gotten him in trouble.

"-Well- I'm not a liar-", she returned, taking a chomp of the chicken, "-Its unique... Though why do you wear it?".

"-I - uh....I just like it-", he responded, sinking into his robes.

"-So - Andromeda-", spoke Belltrix, carefully cutting her food with her knife, "-Where were you on the train tonight?-".

"-Me-", she placed down her cutlery, "-Uncle Alphard put me on one of the carts close to the front. We lost sight of you, mother and Narcissa you see-".

"- What?-", laughed Rudolphus, prodding at Bellatrix's hair, "-You didn't see this bloody mess-".

"-Shove off, Lestrange-", she elbowed him in the stomach, deciding to then ignore his comment, "-Wait...so you spent the journey alone?-". Bellatrix, for only a moment, had sounded genuinely concerned for her little sister.

"-Oh- No- I met someone on the train-", she stated, then glancing across to the Gryffindoor table, "-She's there- see- the red hair-".

"-Molly Prewett?-". Bellatrix then cackled . "-Oh that is abismal. You were forced to spend your journey with the sister of those two lanky brats-". She placed her hand on the girls shoulder in a jokingly apologetic way. "-Are you okay dear sister?-". The twins laughed.

"-Fine...she was very nice actually-", argued Andromeda, picking up her cutlery to continue to eat.

"-I'm surprised the pair of you fit in the compartment-", snarked Rabastian, "-With all that.... _niceness_ she's carrying around-".

Andromeda furrowed her brows, chewing slowly. "- I'm surprised the compartments still there and she hasn't eaten it-", remarked Rodolphus.

"-Thats not nice-".

"-Oh who cares-", Bellatrix slung her arm over Andromeda's shoulder, "-The Prewetts are weird anyway- I'd reccommend staying away from them if you don't want to get in trouble- or.... loose some of my respect-". Black took a moment to search her reaction. "-I was joking about the respect bit-".

The girl quickly shifted from her sisters touch. "-Well I very much think that I should like to continue being around her- I like her-".

Bellatrix then rolled her eyes. "-Whatever you say Andromeda - Just don't come crying to me when she eats your lunch for you-". The twins sniggered as Andromeda stared at her sister in disbeleif. It wasn't like Bellatrix was at all being unlike herself. Actually she was being very much like herself. Yet this was the first time that...well Andromeda had actually been greatly bothered by it. "-You better eat your food Sister, desert will appear in an hour-".

Andromeda glanced to her plate. "....Right....".


	5. The wonky Alphabet

The Slytherin common room was just as Andromeda had expected it to be....very much reflective of the natural domains of the Black family itself. It actually reminded her of the parlour room at the Black london home, except for the grand piano and constant cold . The place was dark and expensive, with deep green walls, candles and a great snake crested hearth surrounded by stiff looking chairs that reflected the lime flame that fluttered between them, endlessly eating away at the blackened pile of wood beneath. And there was a thick smell in the air.... A rather perfume like one, which attached itself to the students clothes , coming to linger on them like some greatly fragrant demon. The rooom was quite the sight to be sure. And around the room also rested some portraits too, with one being rather hauntingly empty, swaying there like a petrified ghost. Some of the students had already, by the time the first years had passed through the doors, come to rest in the chairs, lounging about before Wizard chess tables and thin, rather lifeless carpets- and Andromeda stuck close to Bellatrix as she lead her towards a stony archway, guiding her up a dark stairwell towards a particular bedroom that sat completely empty, with just the girls chest resting at the end of the singular raven four poster. And Bellatrix closed the door behind them as Andromeda glanced about, tracing her finger tips across the top of the chesk of drawers to bring up not even the hint of dusk, which had an unlit lantern neatly placed atop it right at the centre. And as she searched, Bellatrix flopped back onto the girls bed, narrowly avoiding thumping her head on the chest. "-You like it?-".

Andromeda didn't much know how to answer. She didn't neccisarrily like it. It felt empty, especially with only one bed, no pictures and little light. "-Well its certainly different from our room. It reminds me of the dining room-". She glanced across the panelled walls. "-Especially due to the lack of windows-".

"-Well there would be not point for windows-", explained Bellatrix, "-You'd only be staring out at dirt anyway. We here don't have the _'pleasure'_ of the sightly views seen by the students of Ravenclaw or Gryffindoor-". She suddenly sounded very much like the sales witches one would find in Knockturn alley attempting to sell of their own delapodated shacks of homes. Ones that the Blacks often heckled and turned their noses at.

"-Oh how dreadful-", returned Andromeda sarcastically, coming over to sit beside Bellatrix, "-I just hope I wont sleep in tommorow- normally the sun wakes me up...or Cissy-".

"-You better not-", warned Bella, coming to sit up, "-Tommorows your first day- you have to make a good impression-".

She sighed. "-I know....which is why im a little...nervous, you know-". Bellatrix blinked at her, not seeming to 'know' at all.

"-No-", her voice seemed to drag on for an awkward amount of time, "-At dinner you were 'excited' and now you look....a little less than-". She nudged her. "- You'll be top of....many of your classes in no time. Most of the first years have never cast a spell in their measley little lives- And You're almost as good at magic as me-".

"-Almost?-", scoffed Andromeda.

"-Yes-", she returned proudly, "-We both know who would have really won that little duel of ours yesterday-".

"-Of course-", responded Andromeda, turning up her nose playfully, "-Me-".

"- _Never_ -", Argued Bella. She was assured that she would have won....well more self assured-mAnd she was slightly still annoyed at their mother for getting in the way of their fun, but she had always been quite the interfiring minx of a woman. Yet she was better than their father in many senses, including the fact that she actually, though rare, would listen to Bellatrix. "- Anyhow- if there is a class that I would reccomend you should be 'showing off' in, it would be Potions-", the girl instructed, "-Slughorns a sucker for us Blacks- you'll be his pet-".

"-So I'm sure-", agreed Andromeda, knowing that he was the head of Slytherin house, and proud of his title too.

"-And I would reccomend staying clear of moody McGonagall and that mouth of hers-", Bellatrix wrinkled her nose, "-Knowing her she'll be horrible to you too-". To the girl, Minerva McGonagall had always seemed to be the most terrible of women. She'd never liked her, not one bit. Yet it wasn't as though Bellatrix was not entirely to blame. All she ever did was cause trouble in Transfiguration and answer back to any questions she received. She was not the most keen or inciteful of students in that subject either, which only aided to her dislike of the Professor. "-She gave me six detentions last year-".

"-Detentions?-", Andromeda furrowed her brows, "-You never told me that you'd gotten any detentions last year-".

"-I'd be a fool to even utter the idea at home-", she announced, "-Mother would have my head and father would lock me in my room for at least a month-".

"-Though it isn't like you'd manage to weasle your way out of it-", returned her sister, knowing Bellatrix all to well.

She smirked. "-I would- Wouldn't I-". They then sat in silence for a moment, taking in the sounds all around them , of which there were almost none , before Andromeda frowned. She was so used to hearing at least the hum of the wind against the windows, or the calling of owls. Yet she couldn't even hear the students outside or in the other rooms at that moment.

"-Its awefully quiet...is it not?-". She'd noticed that even the common room had seemed a little silent. She'd expected, for a first day back, for there to be a bit more life, yet everyone had just been lounging around a little lifelessly. Even a Black party had seemed more riveting than them, and that was saying something.

"-Welcome to Slytherin-", remarked Bellartix, "-But I'm sure that now you're here we can work some life into this place- Fours better than three...sometimes-".

"-So I can amount myself a personal record of six detentions in my first year-", she shook her head, "-I'd rather not. I don't want to get into any trouble-".

"-Ohhhh Salazar-", Bellatrix groaned, "-Don't tell me that you are going to turn into some goody good witch-". She jumped to her feet, pulling a meek expression. "- _Oh Professor- Professor!- look - I've done all of my homework- and everyone elses_ -".

"-Don't tease me Bella-", she laughed, shaking her head at the girl, "-I'll duel you for it-".

"-I'd rather duel Narcissa-", she teased.

"-Ahh yes- our sister who is only just learning how to use a wand-", she put on a horrified expression, "-What a terrifying idea-". They both chuckled for a moment, before Bellatrix sighed.

"-Well I should be going now...I shall see you in the morning- I'm sure the boys will be missing me and you have a lot to unpack...", she then abruptly announced, to which Andromeda frowned, "-What?-".

"-You....you aren't going to stay with me tonight ?-". There was a slight hint of sadness in her words. One that was not masked by the small smile planted falsley upon her lips.

"-No?-". Bellatrix looked her up and down. "-...My rooms upstairs-". She then glanced to the door handle, before looking back to Andromeda. "-....But I suppose I could... just this once-".

"-Really!?-", beamed Andromeda, opening the latches of her chest whilst watching as Bellatrix came over, taking out a few normal outfits to place them down on the bed.

"-Yeah-", smiled Bella.

Together they unpacked Andromeda's things, putting them away in drawers of the chest of drawers, before getting changed into pyjama's, with Bellatrix borrowing some of Andromedas so that they matched, seeming ever more twin like. And they climbed into bed after a little while , with Bellatrix explaining the answers to some questions that Andromeda dished out, such as : 'Where are the toilettes?', or 'What time are meals?'. Yet after a while the questions began to get quite annoying to Bellatrix, who would just then respond with the odd grunt or groan, before she turned over to face away from Andromeda mid-scentance. "-Bella?-", she tapped her shoulder, "-Did....Did I annoy you again?-".

"-No- you just ask too many questions-", returned Bellatrix, semi-honestly

Andromeda realised that she had been speaking quite a lot. "-I'm Just curious-".

Bellatrix shook her head. "-Well maybe you could not be curious and one-hundered Miles per hour-". Andromeda sank back into her pillow. "-How are you supposed to make friends when you do ....that?-". Her words faded to silence.

The girl then clasped her hands over her stomach, staring up at the roof of the bed. "-Well your'e my friend...aren't you?....Bellatrix?-". She turned her head, watching the girls arms rise and fall with each slumber filled breath. Or what she beleived to be a 'slumber ' filled breaths, and not Bellatrix's 'subtle' way of trying to end their conversation, which worked to her delight. Andromeda turned over in bed, coming to face the other side of the room. "-Good night Bella-", she then yawned, "- Sleep well-".

////////

September 2nd , 1964

At breakfast Andromeda received her timetable on a sheet of shifting paper from the Slytherin Prefect, who was a miserable looking boy - and set off towards her lesson all dressed up in her green tie and robes, with her dark curls brushed back a little by a raven headband. And it took her a good ten minutes to get from the Great Hall to the Transfiguration classroom , coming to meet the face of the rather stern seeming Minerva McGonagall, who brought down a pocket watch from the centre of her gaze, raising a shapely brow at the girl whilst the desks that sat either side of the fairly lit classroom shifted. And she paused in the centre of the isle of the other first years who glanced to her , whispering the name 'Black' to their unaware counterparts. "-Professor McGonagall-", she spoke with a guilty look about her, "-I got lost...-". Andromeda gulped, feeling a little trapped beneath her gaze. She certainly had quite a frightening look about her when she wanted to.

"-Actually Professor - _We_ got lost!-", Andromeda turned, giving a confused look to Molly Prewett, who panted to a halt, smiling at the woman with bright red cheeks. Her hair was all frizzed and stuck out on end, and her tie just hung around her neck, rather than having been done up properly- And it was safe to say that Minerva was surprised to see a Weasley with a Black. She'd come to find that such a pairing had been quite unlikely. "-Just go along with it-", she hissed to Andromeda through a gritted smile.

"-And what- may I ask- Has taken the pair of you so long to make it to my class?-", she asked, glancing between them for any hints of a lie. All of the othe first years had managed to get to lesson on time. Even Scamander and Diggory had made it to lesson, with Amos giving the pair a meek wave.

"-M-molly asked me to meet her-". Prewett bobbed her head quickly. "-A-And we got a little lost on the way here- big school...lots of corridoors- No directions-".

"-And I have the sense of direction of a headless chicken on the best of days-", joked Molly, receiving a couple of chuckles from her classmates, "-I'd have a better chance of finding where im going...um...blindfolded-".

"-Well-", Minerva brought her hands to her hips, "-I suppose I shall let this slide seeing as it is only the first day- please get to your seats- I am sure the pair of you can put your heads together to find your way there-". She turned back towards the front of the class as the two girls slipped into an empty desk, with Molly finally setting to tying her tie.

"-Thank you-", she whispered to Andromeda.

"-Don't worry about it-", returned Black, opening the desk drawer to find a textbook, "-Why were you actually late?-".

"-Well it seems my brothers decided to turn off my alarm clock-", she stated, "-Godric knows how they got up to the girls dorms- ".

"- _Godric ?_ -", Andromeda was sure that the girl had said it before, but she found it quite odd to hear.

"-Well what would you say instead of Godric?-", asked Molly, genuinely curious.

"-Salazaar-", stated Black, "-Or Merlin...but thats rarely-".

"-Well that just sounds dark-", returned Prewett, looking to the front as Minerva flipped over her chalkboard, coming to tap the title with her wand.

"-The transfiguration Alphabet-", she announced carefully , "-The basis of all Transfiguration. To ever understand Transfiguration you must first learn it-". She paused as Andromeda's hand shot up into the air. "-Yes Miss Black-".

"-I know it Miss-". Her words were supposed to have come out as a statement , but instead had seemed rather boastful, which didn't seem to appease her. "-Me and my sisters learned it when we were little- Its quite easy to remember, really-".

"-I am sure you did-", spoke the woman a little backhandedly, to which Andromeda furrowed her brows, lowering her arm, "-Now- I will write the Alphabet out and you will all copy it into the books you can find within your desk- I hope the pair of you will be able to _find_ them Miss Black and Miss Prewett-". Prewett gave her a smile.

"-Yes Professor -". There was an uproar of screaching desks and paper shuffling as Andromeda brought a fresh pot of ink and a rather eloquent quill to the already open book on her desk, which made Prewetts one seem like it had been torn from the most bedraggled bird on earth- And it stroked across the paper like oil to a babys skin, being well worth its heavy price that many would not be willing to pay for such an item. Many excluding the ever expensive Blacks. "-Thats so pretty-", stated Molly after taking a long enough admiration period, causing Andromeda to examine the raven feather and silvery nib, then glancing to Molly's quill, which drooped sadly as though for added dramatic effect.

"-Its just for show-", she then spoke encouragingly, "-Even though one quill looks better than another, it doesn't mean that it will work better too-".

Prewett smirked, taking in the girls words for a moment. "-I suppose so-", she then examined Andromeda and her kindred smile as she set back to her work, "-You are an odd one- aren't you?-".

Yet she paused, giving a questioning look to her companion. "-An odd wh-".

"-Miss Black-", the students all halted the movement of their quills, turning back to Prewett and Blacks desk, "-I should assume that by the fact you are chattering away to Miss Prewett that you have finished-". In the time she had given them she had expected no first year to have managed to copy the entire board, especially since she had not finished scratching them out herself . Yet Andromeda held up her book into sight without a flicker of hesitation or thought.

"-Almost-", she pointed to with the feather of her quill to a single missing spot, "-I hope you don't mind but I wrote it from Memory instead of copying the board-". Minerva folded her arms, leaning against her desk to take a moment to search it, mentally validating its correctness with a sigh like breath. Yet it wasn't one of dissapointment. It was more so surprised.

"-Very well-", the woman then announced, seeming a little warmer than before, "-Just lessen the chattering Miss Black-". Andromeda attentively nodded, dropping the book back to the desk as Minerva turned away- and Andromeda smiled a little.

"-You know-", whispered Molly, finally setting off to work herself, "-I'd recon she's got her eyes on us you know-". Andromeda shot her a confused glance. "-My brothers and your sister- its not like they've left a good impression for us-".

"-What do you mean?-", scoffed Andromeda, seeming a little offended on behalf of Bellatrix, "-Blacks don't leave bad impressions- especially not my sister-".

Molly pulled quite the disbeleiving face. "-Well thats not how i've heard it-".

After a few minuets longer, Minerva began to make her way about the classroom, venturing to all of the students desks too peer over at their Alphabets, having, by no suprise to her, found that Andromeda's was not only the neatest, yet most correctly shaped one out of them all- most especially compared to Molly Prewetts rather wriggly , wonky attempts. "-Miss Prewett- what is that?-", she pointed to the board from beside the girl.

"-A circle...thingy-", replied Molly, glancing to her page.

"-Then would you care to tell me why you have drawn what I can only describe as a Muggle submarine-". There was quite the uproar of laughter from the few understanding students, of which there weren't many.

"-Well-", retorted Molly, playing into the laughter whilst turning her page, "-If you flip it like this it sort of looks like a beaters bat- don't you agree Professor?-". Her face remained very stern, yet there was a change in her eyes which was only noticed by the two girls. One of near childish admiration.

"-Is that so?-". Prewett nodded quickly. "-Well you will be wanting to make it into more of a bludger before I give you detention- and on the first day too-".

"-Y-yes Professor-", Molly suddenly seemed a little less entertained, yet Andromeda chuckled a little, receiving a short, sharp , teacherly glare, "-Bloody hell- you'd think she'd never heard a joke in her life-".

"-It was quite funny-", admitted Andromeda, searching Mollys page before pointing with a fine nail, "-Oh look- there's her hat-". And Molly let out a horrenous sound, having to clap her hands over her mouth as Andromeda tried her hardest not to laugh in an immediate reaction. 


	6. The Pranksters and their clown

"-Look at this-", Molly held her timetable up against Andromeda's as they made their way from the classroom after Transfiguration, marching together at the same gleefull pace with their hair bouncing , "-We have the same timetables-". The girl was correct. That year it seemed that the pair of them would be spending quite a good amount of time with eachother- a prospect that seemed dreaful to neither of them. Molly liked Andromeda, and Andromeda, her, especially after getting to know eachother in their class . Yet as they walked together they received quite a few confused looks from their fellow students. You see it wasn't common to find a Gryffindoor and Slytherin walking together. The usual occurence would be that their personalities would rebound like backwards magnets, shooting them off in opposite directions. Yet by the time the girls reached the Great hall they may as well have had their arms linked, coming through the threashold until Andromeda stopped. "-Whats wrong Andromeda?-", worried Molly, looking over to the Gryffindoor table from which Fabian and Gideon waved, both seeming to freeze, pulling the same disturbed look at the sight of Black, "-OI!- Fix your faces both of you-". Andromeda glanced to the Slytherin table, seeing that Bellatrix was nowhere to be seen. Actually most of the house was nowhere to be seen. "-Come on- I want you to meet my brothers-", Molly lightly tugged at the girls sleeve, not wanting to at all seem forceful- and Andromeda, after a moment of deep thougt, was sure that going to the Gryffindoor table couldn't have hurt, especially seeing as her sister wasn't even there and she didn't want to have to eat lunch alone on her first day. Now that would have been the most strange of occurences. She'd never really done anything of the sort alone in her entire life.

"-O-okay-", smiled Andromeda, following Molly, who then took her by the shoulders, guiding her into the seat right beside Fabian, who stiffened as his sister climbed up over the table, plopping herself down beside Gideon. "-Hi-", she greeted to to the boy who looked away as to pretend he hadn't heard her, receiving a stiff punch in the arm.

"-Say 'Hi' , ruddy idiot-", scolded Molly, glaring at his speckled cheek.

"-Ow- alright- alright-", he rubbed his arm, now giving a smile to her, "-Hiya'....I'm Gideon-".

"-Andromeda-", she replied, then turning to look to the boy beside her, who took a bite of a sandwhich in an effort not to speak to her, nearly fumbling it out of his grasp.

"-Ugh- You two she's not like Bellatrix you know-", they took a moment of close consideration, examining their sisters demenour- And at this assurance they both seemed to sigh a little, relaxing into their seats in their usual was.

"-Well in that case-", responded the boy chewing, giving a very Molly like smile to Andromeda, "-I'm Fabian- the better looking one-".

"-No-", argued Gideon, "-I am the better looking one- see- ". He framed his face with his hands. "-Clearly more attractive than him-".

"-No-", Fabian shook his head, gulping, "-You are quite ugly actually-".

"-Oi-", they both then snapped their gaze to Andromeda, who gave Molly a pleading look as the girl smirked, "-Which one of us are better looking?-".

"-I-Uh-". She looked at them closely, not really knowing what to answer. They were almost identical. "-I...I suppose Gideon-".

"-Ayeee!-", he celebrated, leaning over the table, "-Gimme some skin-". And Andromeda stared at his gesture. "-You're meant to slap my hand-". She hesitated for a moment, before weakly slapping his hand.

"-Hey- Why is he the better looking one?-", whined Fabian, "-You aren't blind are you?-".

"-I'd recon it's probably because he said 'Hello' first-", returned Molly, to which Gideon provided him with a smug smile.

"-O-Only because you made him!- We both were going to ignore her-", he placed his hand on her shoulder, "-No offence -". She shifted out of his touch a little.

"-None taken?-".

"-Good-", he smiled earnestly.

"-No matter that-", Gideon titled his head, fluttering his eyelashes, "-It seems we have a victor-".

"-No-".

"-Yes-", he simpered.

"-NO!-".

"-Yes!-".

"-Godric!-", chuckled Molly, thumping her palm down on the table , "-Both of you are pretty- now will you stop bickering- I brought her over here to meet the pair of you- not to get caught up in your beauty competition-". The boys looked at Andromeda's weary expression once over, now feeling a little bad.

"-Sorry Molly-", they chimed, actually seeming sorry, and Andromeda laughed at the prospect of it.

"-Well that didn't take much-".

"-Of course-", smirked Molly, taking a sandwhich from a pile that sat on a silver plate in the centre of the table, holding it out to Andromeda, "-they're scared of me when they know im proper awake-".

"-No we arent-", they argued, to which she reached her free hand to her pocket, causing the pair to duck for a minute, then seeming a little embarissed as the girls giggled. "-We aren't scared of her-", re-iterated Fabian, "-But you should see our little sis and her hexes-".

"-They're ruddy brilliant-", agreed Gideon as Andromeda took the sandwhich from Molly.

"-Made my nostrils pour like like a fountain once-", added Fabian, "-It was horrid-". She had just been about to bring the sandwhich to her lips, but had to pause for a moment at the disgusting imagery.

"-You did put Droobles in my hair-", defended Molly.

"-Oh thats terrible-", stated Andromeda, receiving an offended gasp from the boy beside her.

"-So snot pouring out of my nose doesn't deserve sympathy-", he roared, "-How dare you Black-".

"-Oh- I- I'm -", Andromeda started apologetically, watching as all of them laughed.

"-He's only joking Andromeda-", informed Molly, "-Though it's not funny- You two need to remember that you are the pranksters- Ted's the clown-".

"-Ted?-", wondered Black, not seeing this third boy who was the designated 'Clown' .

"-Yeah-", affirmed Gideon, looking around the hall, "-Bloody don't know where the prats gone- probably to pester Wood-". Andromeda immediately began to imagine what this 'Ted' could look like, and only managed to envision in her mind an actual clown, with the great big shoes, thick greasy makeup and crazy hair, which made her smile a bit. And Gideon leaned towards Molly, hushing his voice. "-Tonks is not going to like her you know-".

"-I'll make the rat like her-", she returned, "-he can't hate every Black just because of Bellatrix-".

He didn't seem any more assured than he previously had been. "-Yes but you know what _she_ called _him_ -".

"-What who called _him_?-", asked Andromeda, overhearing them, to which Fabian, who knew exactly what he was talking about, made a gesture to his neck, shaking his head.

-And Gideon looked a little caught out, thinking fast. "-W-what Professor McGonagall called 'Fugly' there-", he quickly lied- to which Fabian glared at him, "-After he tried to flirt with her- isn't that right brother?-".

"-Flirt?-".

"-Oh right-", Gideon continued, "-Your a Black....erm it means like-".

"-No I know what it means-", she affirmed with a chuckle, "-We aren't that oblivious to common terms you know-".

"-Let me just clarify-", defended Fabian, "-I was not flirting with her- I just called her 'beautiful' -It was an observation-".

//////

After Lunch , Molly and Andromeda had the great pleasure of attending Professor Slughorns Potions class, which was held in a damp classroom , full of couldrons, shelves and strange smells that turned Prewetts stomach, making her wish she had not had any lunch at all . And true to Bellatrix's words, he had a keen eye on Andromeda from the moment she made her way into class, coming to sit with Prewett beside Scamander and Diggory. "-Is it just me-", started Amos in a hushed manor after they had been set of to copy some notes down from the board, "-Or is he staring at us-". They all looked up from their books , to which he shamelessley smiled at them, turning his gaze back to Black, who shuddered a little.

"-Correction-", smirked Molly, "-He's staring at Andromeda-".

"-Well I wish he wouldn't-", she hissed, giving him a courtious smile before continuing with her work. And after a few minuets more he gained the entire class' attention with a clap, smiling widely at them with his great rosy cheeks- And in that moment he quite reminded her of a drunken old Wizard.

"-Don't he look like he's a bit-", Molly made the motion of drinking 'adult wizard juice', to which Andromeda nodded her head, agreeing entirely.

"-Well- I am sure that was more than enough time to get down everything that you need-", he stated in a little bit of a slurred way, teetering from heel to toe on his squeaky shoes , "-Now- Please - I would like you all to have a think for me- or make a guess- as to the answer of this question-". He pointed to the chalk board, on which the students read: 'What Potion causes the drinker to fall asleep?'. It was a simple enough question, well for Andromeda at least. However everyone else seemed a little confused for a moment- and she raised her hand , just a little slower than Scamander. Yet it was not surprising that the son of a Magizoologist would know a 'Sleeping Potion' when they heard reference to it. "-Ahh- Miss Black-". The boy frowned, turning his head towards her without looking. He was sure that his hand had gone up first, and he didn't much have the...confidence to pleade his case.

"-Oh- I think Scamander put his hand up first-", she replied for him , lowering her hand courtily.

"-Well-", continued Professor Slughorn, not even providing the boy with a glance, "-I didn't see it- so I would like your answer please Miss Black-". Andromeda seemed a little stuck. She hadn't been the first to put up her hand. It wasn't right for her to speak. But she wasn't going to just ignore the teacher either.

"-Its...um...Herbicide potion-", she lied, to which Slughorn looked a little dismayed. And Scamander seemed to smile a little, or motion his mouth into a shape of something similar to a smile. It was clear by the adversely confident way in which she raised her hand that she had known the answer.

"-I-It's actually the Sleeping Draught-", then spoke Scamander without encouragement.

"-R-right- well done-", half-heartedly praised the Professor, "-One house point to... Hufflepuff-". And after this question it seemed that Sluhorn did not have as much of an interest in Andromeda as he had initially have. Not that it was a bad thing. She was quite glad that he had stopped staring at her . It was strange and highly uncomfortable- And after a little while , Molly flipped the page of her book, smirking as the other students around them set back to chattering .

"-You knew the answer- didn't you?-".

"-Whatever do you mean?-", returned Andromeda, sounding entirely false.

"-I would assume you'd know the answer- you know- seeing as you managed to make a perfectly good Transfiguration Alphabet earlier-". She looked her up and down, thinking the same thing she had thought a few times since they had met. _'You're a strange one'_. Usually Purebloods, other than the Prewetts as far as she knew, were far too proud and wouldn't dare to let someone upstage them. Yet she'd willingly given away her chance to parade her knowledge.

"-Well...they're two different subjects-", explained Black, begining searching the texbook page infront of her, "-Oh Godric It's speckled-". Molly watched as she brought out her wand, holding it over the page. And with a flick of the tip she effortlessley syphoned up the stray bits of ink.

"-Thats we'll nifty -You'll have to teach me how to do that one day Black-", stated Molly, watching as the last droplet shot up towards the tip of her wand.

"-Of course-", smiled Andromeda.

"-M-Mum used to have to do that to dads clothes-", then stated Scammander, joining in the conversation, "-He'd come in covered in all these potions and things....she'd always get cross with him-".

Black chuckled. "-I learned how to do it after my sister spilled some ink on the carpets in our bedroom last summer. She was worried that she would get into trouble-".

"-Bellatrix Black?- worried about getting into trouble-", Molly seemed entirely shocked, "-Well you learn something new every day-".

"-Everyone gets worried-", replied Andromeda, "-even if they pretend they don't-".

//////

It seemed that Blacks first day of Hogwarts had gone better than splendidly, and she stepped into the Slytherin common room with a great smile on her face after class, spotting her sister lounging over the sofa before the fire with the Lestrange twins, who appeared very menacing , all illuminated by the lime flames, meeting the girls form with their watchful eyes. And Bellatrix leant her head over the sofa's arm, smiling at her sister. "-Andromeda-", she waved.

"-Bellatrix-", she returned, coming over to them, "-Where were you at lunch?-". She stopped walking a good distance away from them, about halfway between the stairs that lead to the dormitories and the top of her sisters head.

"-Walking around the school-", she returned, "-We never go to lunch-".

"-Oh-", Andromeda frowned, teetering on the spot a little awkwardly, as they stared at her. She'd managed, in her day of constant chattering, to forget how silent the Slytherin common room could be. It was quite uncomfortable to say the least.

"-What are you doing?- Don't you have somewhere to go- or unpacking to finish?-", Bellatrix asked. And the twins chuckled amongst themselves. She could feel the boys judging her and the girl, and she didn't like it in the slightest. She was half waiting for them to comment about their greatly similar appearances , or how 'Andromeda was prettier'.

"-I thought I could stay with you-", stated Andromeda sweetly.

"-Aww Bellatrix- your little sister wants to be with you-", Snarked Rudolphus, pulling a rather sickly face.

"-Shut it Lestrange-", snapped Black, before giving her sister a falseley apologetic look, "-Why don't you go and read something?-".

"-I-I don't want to-", she responded.

"-Don't worry Bellatrix-", argued Rabastian, belcaming the girl over, "-she can sit with me-". Andromeda looked the boy over, not liking him one bit. "-What's wrong goregous- I don't bite-". He cocked his head to Rudolphus. "-Can't say the same about him-".

"-Actually-", spoke Andromeda, deciding suddenly that she'd rather be anwhere else in the castle, "-I think I do have some books to read-". She gave her sister a smile, seeing a bit of guilt pass over her face. "-See you at Dinner then sister-".

"-Right-", she nodded, watching as the girl hastily made her way towards the steps.

"- _See you at dinner sister_ -", mimicked Rabastian, "-Salazaar she's so timid-".

"-She is not timid-", defended Bellatrix, sitting up straight, "-Blacks aren't timid-".

"-Maybe she isn't a Black then-", laughed Rudolphus.

"-What did you say?-", warned Bellatrix, narrowing her eyes- and the boys laughter seemed to fade very quickly, "-She may be a little strange but she is still my sister-You have no right to say such things- Do you two understand?-".

"-Yes Bellatrix-", they chimed begrudingly. And at dinner they all ate silently, except for the odd remark about other students that passed them by. Yet at one point her gaze was caught by the smile of Molly Weasley, who waved at her kindly, and she did so back, watching her becalm her over. And Andromeda looked to her sister, who spotted the girl , wrinking her nose-So she shook her head.

"-What was she saying to you?-", hissed Bellatrix defensively, glaring at the girl.

"-She was just asking me to come over and sit with them-", Andromeda explained, "-Thats all-".

"-Well good thing you didn't-", responded her sister, raising a goblet from the table, "-You shouldn't affiliate yourself with the Prewett's- They're friends with a Muggle man-". Bellatrix spoke as though it were the most despicable thing on earth. "-And a filthy little Mudblood-".

"-Bella-", warned Andromeda.

**_"-I always felt guilty-", spoke Alphard, sitting in the garden of the Black manor with Andromeda beside him as the snow fell down upon them, "-She seemed so upset when I called her that word.... 'Mudblood'- and the thing was.... was that I knew in my head that it must have been a mean word because my mother said it so much- but i didn't contemplate how terrible it was until she looked at me with those great dark eyes in horror-"._ **

**_"-She?-", wondered Andromeda, picking up a ball of snow into her grasp, "-Who's she?-"._ **

**_Alphard sighed, looking up to the cloudy skies in a reminiscant manner. "-I don't recall her name....but we all used to tease her....and...I never had the chance, myself, to apologise.... "._ **

"-What-", smirked Bellatrix, "-That's what he is-".

"-But thats a terrible word-".

"-Terrible word?-", she narrowed her eyes, "-Let me guess- Uncle Alphard told you that-". Andromeda frowned. "-You shouldn't listen to him you know-I've overheard him and mother arguing....he's weird Andy-".

"-He is not weird-", the girl defended.

"-You care for him too much-", sighed Bellatrix.

"-And you don't care for him at all-", she returned, picking up her cutlery.

"-Maybe that's because he doesn't care for me either-", she explained.

"-What?-", Andromeda shook her head, "-Of course he does-".

"-Sure-", hissed Bellatrix.


	7. Flying

September 4th, 1964

The day began with a flurry of sunshine and the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts that Andromeda was sure that she would never be able to get used to as the students pushed their way into the Great hall, taking to their seperate tables. And during this process she spotted Molly, who was towered by her brothers, hopping along joyfully as the boys sang the same little song they had chanted the night Prewett was sorted behind her. Everyone then took to taking handfuls of any food they desired, glad to get rid of the hunger they had amounted overnight before beginning their class, which, for the first years, was most definately going to be different from any of the ones that they had experienced before. "-I love this-", Andromeda brought up a piece of toast that had been slathered in a dark chocolatey substance, taking a chomp out of it as all of the students conversed over their breakfasts- And the Lestrange twins had taken to fighting over a goblet of pumkin juice, spilling it over a few Hufflepuff girls, who shrieked, setting to glare at them as they cackled with the addition of Bellatrix, until the Prefect was spotted bouncing his way into the room, and they decided to turn back to their own table. "-What is it?-".

"-Chocolate spread-", informed her sister through laughter, folding one leg over the other , "-I hate it- its too sweet-". Her tastes were more accustomed to the food that she had grown up with. "-And it gets everywhere-".

"-Well I love it-", argued Andromeda. One thing that the Black house was good at was having the most bland of breakfasts, yet with one bite, she could feel all of the flavours of the bread and chocolate swirling up inside of her mouth, settling at the back of her tongue. "-Its so different-".

"-Eat too much of it and your teeth will rot-", infromed Bellatrix warningly, "-Or you'll end up as fat as Prewett-".

"- _Bellatrix_ -", spoke Andromeda, glancing to the Gryffindoor table.

"- _Bellatrix_ -", she mimicked with a grin, looking up to the open windows overhead as a symphony of screeches sounded out, bringing with it a shift of energy as everyone reached up to grab their falling letters, with one landing directly on Andromeda's lap- And Bellatrix waited for the arrival of a letter adressed to her, yet it didn't come. Not even as the owls, which had been dancing about, began to settle beside their recepients . "-What in Salazaars name?-".

"-Oh!-", Andromeda scanned the handwriting of the adress, "-Its from mother-". She carefully tugged off the seal, allowing the paper to fall open to reveal a neat letter inside.

**Dear Andromeda**

**We are all so proud of you for making it into Slytherin.** **I always knew that you would be a great Black in the** **making and this is only the first step. Your father popped** **a few corks to celebrate last night and Alphard seemed** **happy too, though he always does appear to be miserable when** **the rest of us are in a grand mood. Your aunt agreed with me that** **one of the rarest sights in the world would be to see him agree** **with us on the terms of enjoyment- And to that he rolled his eyes.** **I am terribly sorry that I did not get to see you go, your Uncle should have** **brought you down to the latter carts as I had told him the night before, but he has** **never been one to listen to me anyway. So I hope you are well and that** **you have settled in at Hogwarts so. I also hope that your** **sister is taking good care of you as all elder sisters should. Now I must go, Walburga, Sirius** **and Regulus have come for a visit so I need to entertain our guests-thats my duty** **right now. And your duty, my dear, is to continue making all of us proud.**

**Good luck!**

**-D.B**

Andromeda couldn't contain her smile, showing the letter to her sister who skimmed it , before frowning. "-Oh its grand isn't it. Mother is proud of me-".

"-Yes...sure-", returned Bellatrix, noticing the strange resemblence in the first few lines to the letter that she had received when coming to Hogwarts the year before hand, "-Well done-". Despite her praise, her face did not match. She actually appeared to be rather jelous as Andromeda held the letter to her chest for a moment, before slipping it into her pocket for safe keeping, just as a loud yelp came from the other side of the hall.

"-FABIAN AND GIDEON PREWETT!!-". The entire Gryffindoor table seemed near mortified , almost falling out of their seats as an angry red letter bobbed infront of them. "- YOU BETTER NOT HAVE SPENT THOSE GALLEONS YOU STOLE!- OR GODRIC HELP ME I WILL COME TO THAT SCHOOL MYSELF AND THEN YOU'LL BE IN TROUBLE!-I WILL BRING THE PAIR OF YOU STRAIGHT HOME!- AND THE MONEY FOR YOUR QUDDITCH GEAR- WELL YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT THAT TOO!-". The students of the other houses laughed at the horrified expressions on their faces as the letter swivelled to look at the youngest Prewett. "-Oh and Molly my dearest-".

"-Why me-", she groaned, wanting to hide her head in her cereal bowl, "-Congratulations for getting into Gryffindoor-". The girl awkwardly saluted the letter, glaring at Arthur as he chuckled- And he quicky straightened his face.

"-What embarissments-", stated Bellatrix with a smirk, "-Imagine that- getting shouted at infront of the entire school-". The letter then proceeded to tear itself up , fluttering down onto the table in a defeated way to hide within a pile of fruit.

"-Please tell me you two didn't spend them-". The looks on her faces stated that they had, in fact, spent the Galleons that they had 'borrowed' from their father. "-You are dead-".

"-What are we going to do?-", Fabian clung onto Gideon's arm, "-We can't get back four galleons before christmas-". Molly shook her head at the pair of them. Only they would think that they could get away with something so idiotic.

"-Well you two idiots are on your own-", she announced, "-And I had no part in it-".

"-I-I didn't think he would notice-", stated Gideon, "-I mean- he never notices things like that-".

"-Well you'se better think of something-", Molly took a few more mouthfuls of her food, then pushing up from the table, "-Have a good day boys-".

"-Wait!-" , they cried, watching her make her way towards the halls entrance, "-MOLLY!- PLEASE!-".

"-MOLLS!- COME BACK-", Fabian scrambled from his seat, dramatically getting down onto all fours as though crawling through the desert, "-Pleasee- We love you!-". She shook her head, stepping out into the entryway hall.

/////

The first year students all stood out on the grounds of Hogwarts before a Professor with spikey hair and yellowish eyes, who wore thick leathery gloves that were pressed to her hips as she examined all of the first years swaying beside their brooms, with Molly bouncing a little eagerly. Her name was Madam Hooch, the designated flying teacher of Hogwarts, who's tongue was as quick as the shift of her eyes and stance as sturdy as a mountain. "-Right- seeing as today is your first lesson-", she began with a sharp voice, "- We shall only be learning how to get the brooms up into our hands- and if you manage that- you may also learn how to mount them-". Her eyes fell upon Molly for a moment, to which she smirked a little, hiding it beneath a steely look. "-Now- what I would like you to do is for you to place your hands over your brooms- yes like that-". She watched as all of the Students placed their hands over the brooms that laid on the grass , with a few seeming to be a little hesitant. "-And now- on the count of three- I would like you all to say 'up'-".

"-Up!-". The brooms beside both Molly and Andromeda flew up into their grasps, and both girls looked to eachother with wide smiles.

"-Very good Miss Black and Miss Prewett-", she praised, frowning at the sight of the broom rolling about like a confused dog beneath Scamanders palm, "-You need to be more commanding young man-".

"-Y-Yes Madame Hooch...-", he responded, starting to call a little louder.

"-I didn't expect that-", stated Andromeda, still a little shocked as the broom nestled up against her palm as though some kind of kindred animal.

"-What do you mean?- Its what they're meant to do-", chuckled Molly.

"-No- I know that-". Prewett leaned into the broom, resting her elbow on it effortlessly. "- I just have never used a broom before?-".

"-Really?-", she seemed a little shocked, "-Did your parents never teach you?-".

"-Well aunt Walburga doesn't see the point in a _young lady_ to learn flying - and Mother listens to what the woman says like she's the Minister of Magic most of the time-". She examined the wonky wood, looking at each of the lines, cracks and changes in the colour of its body beneath the early autum sunlight, "-I've only ever held one once-".

"-Woah- Well I couldn't imagine that-", stated Molly, "-We're a flying family, us Prewetts- Like birds we are. I love being in the air, its one of the best feelings- sometimes I wish I had wings-".

"-I think you'd look a bit silly with wings-", chuckled Andromeda. She'd never imagined herself with wings, but then she came to envision that they probably would have been dark and maybe purple. It was her favorite colour after all.

"-I'd actually look amazing, thank you very much-", she smirked, holding her broom tightly to pretend to flap about her arms like a bird.

"-Miss Prewett-", scolded Madame hooch, to which the girl stopped her flapping, lowering her arms, "-thank you-". The woman then went around to all of the first years, checking their hand placements on their brooms, and fixing the position if she spoted any mistakes - And after about ten minuets all of them finally managed to get the brooms into their palms correctly, looking around at their classmates. "-Right- Now that you all are ready....finally- you will learn how to sit- and only sit- on the broom-". She searched their faces, looking for the one containing the most blatant confidence. "-Miss Prewett-", Molly smiled, "-Would you like to attempt first?-".

"-Would I?!-", Molly brought the broom closer to her, seeming far to eager.

Madame Hooch cleared her throat, "-Now Miss Prewett- I would like you to-". Yet before she could finish, Molly swung her leg over the broom, coming to perfectly perch on it without any trouble at all . "...Never mind- well done Miss Prewett-". The rest of her classmates gave the girl a little applause, most especially including Andromeda, who knew that there was no way that she would have been able to do it. "-Now you see Miss Prewett used her body weight correctly by lifting her leg and leaning to the right so that she could balance atop the broom-". She then pointed at Andromeda. "-Miss Black, would you like to give it a try-". Andromeda frowned, most definately looking as though she did not. Especially not infront of the rest of her classmates. She couldn't have thought of a worst recipie for disaster.

"-Come on Andromeda-", encourgaged Molly, watching the girl place both of her palms on the broom.

So the girl immediately set into motion. "-Now remember Miss Black- Sw-". Andromeda tried to hop up onto the broom, unintentionally releasing her grasp so that the broom fell with her landing on her stomach. "-Why do I even bother?-".

"-Andromeda-", worried Molly, hopping off of her broom to help the girl up from the ground, who at first appeared as though she were crying- Yet it soon became apparent that she were instead, thankfully, laughing. "-Are you okay?-".

"-Fine-", she brushed herself off, "-but It seems that I may not be too cut out for flying-".

"-No- Really?-", replied Prewett sarcastically.

"-Well students-", adressed Hooch, noticing a few older students stroll past the archway ahead of them, "-Remember to always keep a firm grasp on the broom as it will fall if you are to release it-". She then brought a pocket watch out from within her jacket. "-Oh my, the time is shooting by-". The woman stood up straight with a sight. "-Right- all of you- up on your brooms-". The rest of the class then attempted to mount the brooms, with just over half of them managing. However the rest, much like Andromeda, had found themselves face down on the ground, or sitting on their now sore bottoms. And Black did try again, twice, yet she could never come to balance very well.

However despite her constant faliure, Molly continued to encourage the girl. "-Come on- You can-",before she could finish, Andromeda fell off of the broom again, landing in a ball of curls and robes, "-....Do it-".

//////

"-I'm doomed-", she stated after their lesson, walking alongside Molly who appeared to be rather pleased with herself, "-How did you balance?-". She'd looked so comfortable, spending most of the lesson bobbing on the spot whilst everyone else struggled. And Andromeda had wondered if Bella had been able to mount the broom in her first lesson. She was sure that if she couldn't have been able to do it, then neither could Bella. They'd both never been taught how to ride brooms.

"-I just did-", stated Prewett simply , "-Its natural-".

"-Well not for me-", replied Andromeda, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "-I'm not very good at balancing-".

"-But you can always learn-", enthused Prewett, bouncing a little as she often would, "-I'm sure my brothers could help you if you want-".

Andromeda seemed unsure. "-Do they fly as well as you?-".

"-As well as me?-", she scoffed in near disbeleif, "-I am sure that they'll be the first on the list for the team this year. Though it seems like they might be using hand me down Qudditch gear thanks to their theft-". She chuckled at the memory of their faces when the howler . "- They were planning on using the qudditch pitch Next Saturday actually- Ted got them some practacing time by annoying Wood- I was going to go and watch them- You should come to-".

"-Ted...-", Andromeda frowned a little, remembering one her elder sisters recent comments, "-Is he a...Muggle born?-".

"-Yep-", answered Molly nonechalantly. But after getting no further inqueries from Andromeda, she slowed down her pace, looking to her apprehensively. "-What?....do you think being Muggle borns a bad thing?-".

"-No...I -", she looked down, "-I don't know....I've never met one...-".

"-Well they aren't aliens-", responded Molly, "-They're just like you and me-".

"-Just like....". Andromeda copied her quietly beneath her breath. "-Are you sure?-".

"-Of course-", her head bobbed a little violently, however it brought Andromeda no comfort. It wasn't like she had any hatred towards Muggle borns or anyone who wasn't Pureblood...but the idea of being around people such as that seemed still quite strange to her. "-And Ted's nice- like my brothers....-". She turned away from her , facing towards the direction in which they had been walking."-...When he wants to be...".


	8. The letter to Uncle Alphard

September 7th 1964

The first year students all sat at old desks scattered around Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom, which was a large space , with a few long windows from which the light seeped in to illuminated specks of dust that floated through the air, bobbing up and down like little ghosts. And from the ceiling hung the skellington of a great Dragon, which captured all of the childrens attention as the door to the teachers office right at the front of the clasroom opened, coming to reveal a head of silver hair and pair of thick glasses sat on the pale skin of a slender man, who, before all of their eyes, toppled down the steps, landing in a ball of robes and texbooks at the bottom beside his cluttered desk, which caused the class to errupt into laughter. "-Poor man-", chuckled Andromeda as he climbed back up onto his feet, brushing himself off whilst giving an awkward smile to his students.

-And he laughed breathily, placing his hands on his hips in an uneasy way, regretting having decided to rush himself. "-Well- Hello all of you little people-". He scratched his head, trying to work out what class they were. "-You are my...first years- right-". They nodded collectively. "-Grand-", he clapped his hands together, "-Well my name is Professor Fuzzywizz- and I am going to be your Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year-". He began to make his way around the desk, carefully stepping over a pile of papers that sat on the floor to get to the chalkboard. "-Now-", he struggled, "-I -Um- What was I going to do?-". Molly shook her head at him, nudging Andromeda.

"-How on earth is he a teacher?- He doesn't even know what he's doing-", she stated, to which Black felt a little sorry for the man. It wasn't that he didn't seem like he knew what he was doing- he just seemed quite nervous, "-Good luck to all of us passing the end of year tests-".

"-Maybe he's very smart-", stated Andromeda optimistically, watching as he fumbled a piece of chalk, "-...Maybe-".

"-Or maybe he may needs another line of work-", joked Molly, slumping into her seat.

"-Ah!- Now I remember-", he began to scratch down a mixture of letters onto the board, then stepping out of the way so that the class could examine it, "-Today we will be learning about-". He slowly narrowed his eyes at the final word he had written, which was quite incoherent. "-Well that is supposed to say Hags....but it sort of looks like it says....something far more rude-". He quickly rubbed at the word with his sleeve. "-Anyhow-", the man carefully placed the chalk piece on the desk, yet it fell off onto the ground anyway. So he tried again, yet it fell again. "-I-I wanted to see how much about the Dark Arts each of you know- I mean defending yourself against them- I mean-".

"-We get what you mean sir-", announced Molly loudly.

"-R-Right- thank you ginger child-". Her face seemed to contort up into an appauled one, and she shared this look with Andromeda, who chuckled.

"-Did he just call me 'ginger child'?-", she shook her head in disbeleif as Professor Fuzzywizz fixed his glasses, taking a single awkward bounce in the silence of the room, feeling entirely uneasy under the eyes of so many young people.

"-So....does anyone already know anything?-". The silence continued, with not even the wind outside of the classroom making a sound as it brushed up against the tall windows. And Andromeda glanced around the classroom in a pitiful way, before raising her hand. "-Aha- Yes Miss-".

"-Black-", she responded, to which he quickly appeared as though a deer in headlights, "-And I was going to say that I know something about the....um... oh- the Knockback Jinx-". He nodded his head once for her to continue, still seeming a little weary. "-The incantation is 'Flippendo' and it....well it knocks the casters opponent back, usually onto their bottom. It also produces...blue, orange or yellow sparks which are variable....a good knockback can send someone flying the distance of a Qudditch pitch....though I've only seen one cross a room...-". The deafening silence of the classroom had began to get to Andromeda too, making her choke on her words a little towards the end.

"-V-very good Miss Black-", he squeaked, spinning back towards his desk to lift up a textbook that had laid open beside a pot of spilled ink, "-T-the Knockback Jinx was one of my sons favorite spells- and you will be learning it later this year-". His fingers flicked through the pages of the book. "-Now inside of your desks there should be some textbooks....I would like you to get them out and open them to page fifty and just read the i-information for me-". The class stayed almost entirely still. "-Now-". Then they set to openeing their desks, coming to read the instructed page , which had just about all the worldly information on Hags.

"-They aren't half ugly are they-", pointed Molly, noticing the illustration to have great grey skin and thousands of warts with one large one planted on its hook nose.

"-Did you know?-", then continued Andromeda, reading from the page, "-That they each children-".

She chuckled. "- I recon my brothers may want to be eaten at this point-", she sighed, "-I have no clue how they are going to get back the Galleons they stole- but they keep pestering me about it-".

Andromeda sat up straight. "-I could help-", she then announced, "-I'm sure If I asked my Uncle he'd give me some money-".

However Prewett shook her head in a stiff way. "-Thanks for the gesture- but Prewetts don't take charity-", she smirked, "-Call it pride or Stupidity- but we call it self worth-". She brushed some hair behind her ear, revealling another interesting set of earrings, which looked very much like wire shaped into flowers. And Andromeda wondered, in that moment, if the Prewetts weren't very....wealthy. Yet she didn't want to seem rude by asking .

"-Now students-", Fuzzywizz called the class' attention back to himself, "-Can anyone tell me some of the distinguishing features of the common Hag-".

"-Common Hag-", sniggered Molly, "-You find a lot of them in Diagon Alley- lurking near 'Knocky'-".

"-'Knocky?'-".

"-Knockturn alley-", explained Prewett.

"-Anyone-", continued FuzzyWizz, then coming to point to a Ravenclaw boy, with light curls and sweet eyes, "-How about you- Mr?-".

"-Brown- Jacey Brown-", he spoke with a smile, "-And-um- well they have a lot of warts....and they have very great skin- and they seem to be very thin too-". He analysed the picture as he spoke, being examined by Molly , who blushed a little as he glanced from the book to her for a short moment.

"-Molly-", worried Andromeda, "-Are you okay?-".

"-What do you mean?-", she looked herself over, "-I'm fine?-".

"-But you've gone bright red-", whispered Andromeda, to which she only grew redder in an embarissed way, "-You're nearly the same colour as your hair-".

"-Okay- I get it-", she hissed to Black.

"-Very good Mr Brown-", praised FuzzyWizz, "-Now you'll find that many witches may have Warts- but Hags have far more Warts- Yet seeing a Hag is unlikely. One has not been spotted in the Uk in many, many years- though they can be quite common in the south of Germany-". He chuckled to himself. "-They have a funny word for them...if only I could remember it-".

"-He's really forgetfull-", examined Molly, finally starting to return to her regular colour.

"-Yep-", agreed Andromeda, "-I feel sorry for him-".

"-I don't-", chuckled Molly, "-Its quite funny-".

Fuzzywizz scratched the Hags traits onto the board below the rubbed out initial name, then pausing. "-Anyone remember how to spell.....actually thats a bit innapropriate-". Molly looked down to her desk as a paper aeroplane landed on it, and she took to opening it out to find writing on the inside.

_'Whats your name?'_

Molly looked over to Jacey, who smiled. "-M-Molly Prewett-", she stated quitely, and he raised his thumb to her, before turing back to the front of the classroom.

/////

After lesson, Andromeda and Molly strolled around the school, not really knowing where they were going. And Molly had a huge smile on her face the entire time they walked, whilst Andy read the note, not really understanding why it made Molly so....bouncy. "-Jacey Brown - the one with the short curls-gave you this?-". She nodded.

"-He wanted to know my name-", she spoke as though it were some kind of high praise.

"-And?-", Andromeda, however, did not see what was so great about it.

"-And-", Prewett stopped her bouncing, "-I don't know actually-". She then chuckled. "-He looks nice though- doesn't he?- Like a nice lad-".

"-I don't know-", Black shrugged. She'd never had much of an interest in boys. "-I suppose so...but how can you know if someone is nice if you've never actually spoken to them?-".

"-Well-", Prewett thought for a moment, "-I suppose you're right- I probably would have never spoken to you if we hadn't met on the train-".

"-Really?-", chuckled Andromeda, "-Why not?-". She was sure that she would have probably at least attempted to have a conversation with Molly. She wasn't really one for ignoring people.

"-Well...because you look so much like your sister-", returned Prewett, finding a stony seat beside a window. And both girls sat down, silhouetted by the treeline of the Forbidden forest and the last green remnants of summer, which had begun to turn a little brownish. "-Thats why my brothers weren't gonna' speak to you. Bellatrix was horrible to them last year-".

"-Oh...I'm sorry-", aplogised Andromeda, to which Molly looked her up and down, "-What?-".

"-You are the oddest Black I have ever met- you know that-", she stated, "-Are you sure you are not secretly from another family-".

"-I am sure-", returned Andromeda, who seemed a bit peturbed by the girls statement. She wasn't odd- or at least she didn't think she was. She was just a regular old Black like the rest of her family. "-And I'm not odd....but my sister thinks my uncles a bit Odd-".

"-How so?-", Molly folded her arms atop her knees.

"-Not a clue-", she stated, "-I've never thought he was odd...I mean he's nicer than mother and father....". Andromeda stopped herself from speaking , revising her statement. "-oh dear-forget I said that- that sounds horrible-".

"-Why?-", smiled Prewett, "-I wont tell anyone- We're friends after all-". The world around them semed to fall still for a moment, as though marking it in time- and Black smiled.

"-Right...of course- We're friends-". She actually had a friend. A real friend- and she was desperate to tell her uncle. So that evening , in the loneleness of her dorm room, she took a quill and ink, illuminating the lonely lantern on the other side of the room, before begining to scratch down everything about her new friend- and just about anything else that came to mind.

**_Dear Uncle Alphard...._ **

////////////

September 9th, 1964

_**The most amazing of things have happened.** _ _**I have made a friend, a real friend. Her name is** _ _**Molly Prewett, and she has two brothers called** _ _**Fabian and Gideon, who seem very nice. I met them for j** _ _**ust a moment and they began to argue over which** _ _**one was prettier. The only issue was that they** _ _**are twins- and in the end I decided upon Gideon. They** _ _**are very different from everyone back home. I mean, they** _ _**say different things. Like we say 'Slazaar' and they say 'Godric'.** _ _**Yet I'm sure I will learn to get used to it. Oh, and back to Molly-** _ _**She's ever so confident , kind and she seems to be very good at making things, yet** _ _**her Transfiguration alphabet may need a little work. I've seen Cissy do a** _ _**better job and she can barely hold a quill. Though it did manage to** _ _**spark some laughter. Ive actually laughed quite a lot with Molly, ever since** _ _**we met on the train- and I have to say that packing Butterbeer cookies** _ _**was a brilliant idea Uncle. And I learned that they can be quite expensive too.** _ _**Did you know that? I am sure you did. You know a lot about** _ _**everything. Especially Muggle things. Which brings me to my second reason for** _ _**writing this letter. Molly is going to help me learn how to fly this S** _ _**aturday with her brothers, and a boy named Ted . But I'm** _ _**a bit, well, apprehensive. He's Muggle born you see,** _ _**and I have never met a Muggle born. What if we do not** _ _**understand eachother? Or what If I accidentally say something** _ _**that upsets him? I know that 'Mudblood' is a bad word,** _ _**thanks to you no less, but, is there any other words** _ _**that I should not say? Bellatrix had no hesitation in speaking** _ _**badly of him, but I suppose I should give him a chance, right.** _ _**I recall that Molly said something interesting to me. That we are no different from** _ _**Muggle borns. Is that true? Are we really no different? I apologise for showering** _ _**you with so many questions but, Please write back to me soon!** _

_**-Andromeda** _

Alphard smiled to himself, leaning his back against the stony balcony barrier as a floor or so below him Walburga and Druella strolled across the gardens, followed by Regulus, Sirius and Narcissa, who chased eachother about gleefully, squealing at the top of their lungs. And Druella, after a moment, peered up at Alphard from beneath her hat, who smirked, turning away towards the doors- to which her heart sank a little. Such a smug look about him meant nothing good for her. "-Druella-", spoke Walburga stiffly, giving a short glare to Sirius as he picked up a very dirty stick, "-Whatever is the matter?-". The woman frowned.

"-I fear that your brother is interfering with Andromeda -". Walburga narrowed her eyes. "-Since his arrival here they have been spending a great amount of time together....I fear that he may taint her-".

"-Well- if she falls too far out of line you could always curse her- thats what my mother did to me-", stated Walburga , coming to stand still in her deep green garments. Yet Druella did not seem to agree. "-She's too old for you to be soft on her now when she behaves terribly-".

"-I-I could never...", Druella looked down. The idea of putting her daughter in pain for misbehaving, well, she hated it.

"-Well I would do it-", returned Walburga nonechalantly.

"-I know you would-", agreed the woman, "-But I don't want you too....I can deal with my own daughters-".

"-Which reminds me- How is Bellatrix?- I've missed our little chats-". Druella felt a shudder climb up her spine. "-She'll be looking for Suitors this ball- correct?-".

"-Oh...yes-", nodded Druella, "-My husband told her so at our final dinner-".

"-Well-", she smiled, "-If all else fails-". The woman pointed to little Sirius, who tripped over, being caught by Narcissa.

"-They are very much too far apart in age Walburga-", disagreed Druella, "-I'm sure she will find someone- or Cygnus will make her find someone- even though she doesn't want to marry. I could tell by her face when he mentioned it-".

"-So-", sneered Walburga, "-You have one daughter who doesn't want to Marry and one who spends most of thier time with my...dear brother and his odd ideals....and then theres just...Narcissa -The only one who seems to be going in the right direction-".

"-Three times the charm-", joked Druella, "-Are you and Orion hoping for any more children-".

"-Yes actually-", stated the woman, "-But no such luck has come -".

"-Well- lucky isn't the word I would use to describe this family....-", returned the woman a little quietly, "-Oh and I wish you would have a word with your brother about his drinking-". 

"-Is it getting plentiful again?-". 

"-Very much so-", sighed Druella, "-He never seems to be sober-". 

"-Trust me- You'd rather him be drunken-", Walburga shook her head, "-He's sour when he is not-". 


	9. Please, Mr Postman

September 12th, 1964

Andromeda climbed out of bed bright and early, coming to the chest that sat at the end of it that was still open from the night before . And she sifted through all of her clothing, searching until, right at the bottom, she found a pretty old purple dress which she could wear shorts beneath without it being painfully obvious- and she then tied back her hair too, placing some small earings in her ears as a few curls from the front danced their way out of her ribbon , coming to hang over her face in a less than elegant manner. So she attempted to slip them back in, accidentally tugging the ribbon away so that she had to start all over agin, which was Frankly quite annoying. And after she was ready, she made her way into the common room and towards the door, when Bellatrix cleared her throat from the sitting area, dressed over extravigantly for the way that she lounged about, wrinkling her dress terribly . "-Where are you going Andy?-", she looked her up and down, "-Thats so ancient- you aren't going to leave looking like that-".

"-Yes-", returned Andromeda, opening the door, "-And I'm going to meet Molly-".

"-Ahh-", Bellatrix smirked, "-dressing to match the poor-".

"-Hey- thats not nice-", scolded Andromeda.

"-Well thats what you look like-", she responded with a smirk, to which Andromeda closed the door, not wanting to hear anything more horrible about her friend, and Bellatrix laughed on the other side, being quite audiable, until Andromeda got far enough away that her voice was silenced by the distance between her. And she found herself smiling a little. It was actually still quite strange for her to think that she had a friend. Very, very strange. They'd spent almost the entire week together, which was honestly quite fun. She'd learned quite a little bit about Molly's personality, which, it turned out, was far more vibrant than what met the eye, which was not at all surprising. And she was quite glad that her first friend was someone as nice as Molly Weasley, who greeted her outside of the Great Hall with a wide smile in her flowy jumper and large legged jeans- until she spotted her attire.

"-You are going to try and fly in a dress?-", she chuckled, already seeing the disaster that could occur.

"-Well I only have dresses-", replied Andromeda truthfully. She'd never worn anything but a dress. Actually, she'd never seen any of her sisters wear anything but a dress either.

"-Thats mental-", chuckled Molly , "-I only have about three dresses- two of which are hung up at home-". They turned, begining their journey towards the Qudditch pitch. "- I used to have more but I cut em' up to make stuff-".

"-Well- you could always have one of my dresses-", stated Andromeda with a smile as they passed a group of fifth years, "- I have too many-".

Molly examined the girl, who was smaller and thinner than her. "-I don't think that they would fit-".

"-Well-", responded the girl, "-There's no harm in trying-".

"-I suppose not-", smiled Molly, "-And you could try on one of my outfits- maybe we could do it like a sleepover in our dorms-".

"-But wouldn't we get in trouble for staying in eachothers dorms?-", wondered Andromeda.

"-Not if we don't get caught-", replied Molly, "-Ted spends most of his time in the Gryffindoor common room...though I don't think he's stayed the night before. But i'm sure he would if my brothers asked him to-".

"-Then we could try one day- maybe-", responed Andromeda , not knowing what Bellatrix would think about such an idea. And they continued to chatter about the prospect of a sleep over all the way out onto the grounds, where they walked for about ten minuets until they came to see the Hogwarts Qudditch pitch ,which was surrounded by great and very naked wooden stands. And by the entrance to them stood a very tall boy with dark hair and reddish cheeks, who seemed as though he were in fifth or sixth year. "-Wood-", greeted Molly with a smile as he turned to them, "-Is it still alright If we go in-". They could hear music coming from somehere, and Andromeda couldn't work out where from, until she noticed a record player in the corner. However she'd never heard the song before in her life . It went something like 'Hey, mr Postman'- which made the situation even worse as she didn't know what a postman was-And when she looked closer, the record player seemed quite strange too...strange and small.

"-Well-", he spoke with a thick scottish accent, "-As long as McGonagall doesn't find out- go ahead-". He looked Andromeda once over, seeming a little weary. "-You going in too kiddo-".

"-Yeah-", she smiled.

"-Oh right-", Molly stepped away so they could see eachother properly, "-Wood, Andromeda- Andromeda, Wood- He's the Qudditch captain-".

"-Ahhh so your the famous little sister of Bellatrix-", he smirked, "-We've heard all about you in Gryffindoor house-".

"-Good things I hope-", wondered Andromeda.

"-Of course-", Wood stated, "-well- follow me you two-". He led the two girls onto the pitch, dissapearing quickly to grab some brooms as they watched overhead as three brooms zoomed about, playing what appeared as some strange game of cat and mouse.

"-Is that your brothers?-", they were in matching red jumpers, holding onto their brooms as their ginger hair flipped about in the wind, "-They're so fast!-".

Molly nodded. "-But not fast enough-", she cocked her head to the third boy as the music changed, having a far more deep, fast paced beet, with the singer calling 'hit the road jack' as Andromeda's eyes locked onto the boy who span on the broom, diving up and down away from the twins so that they almost crashed into eachother, tumbling off of their brooms and to the ground in a fit of laughter, to which the boy slowed, coming to hover above them with a pearly smirk .

"-You idiots- Look where your going next time-". Andromeda was caught off guard by his strange accent, examing his mousey hair and Muggle music T-shirt and ripped trousers, noticing the one earring dangling from his ear as his greenish eyes fell upon her .

"-Tonksy my man-", Molly greeted as he wrinkled his brows at Andromeda, "-You gonna' come down and say 'Hi'-".

Andromeda stared back at him as he examined her. "-Nope-", the then boy immediately turned on his broom, shooting back up into the air, "C'mon boys-". And Black felt her heart settle a little sadly as the twins went to follow him.

"-OH DON'T YOU DARE!-", Molly ran towards them, managing to grab Fabian before he shot off, "-You're helping me teach her?-".

"-But-", he glanced to Andromeda as Wood came back over, placing two brooms on the ground, "-WHY CAN'T HE HELP-".

"-I'm just supervising lad-", he returned, raising his hands.

"-So?...", he whined.

"-FABIAN FREDERICK WEASLEY!-".

"-Okay-Okay-", the boy climbed off of his broom, "-Mornin' Black-".

"-Morning-", she returned, coming to watch Ted begin to zoom around again.

"-Tell me you at least know how to get the broom into your palm from the ground-". She held her hand over one of the brooms, commanding it up. "-Thank Godric-".

"-She can get it up-", explained Molly, "-the only issue is that she cant balance- show him-". Andromeda attempted to climb up onto the broom, yet slippped off of the other side as she had expected- And the boy scratched his head.

Ted and Gideon came to a stop high above them, watching a Fabian attempted to begin to help the girl. "-Are you really not going to meet her?-", he wondered to Tonks, who stared at the Andromeda as she wobbled.

"-No-", he stated defiantly, "-I don't want to- Why should I-".

"-She's actually...I dare say... nice, from what I've heard of her, of course-", continued Gideon, sitting up a bit straighter, "-and she said i'm prettier than Fugly-".

"-But she's still Bellatrix's sister-", stated Ted, running his fingers through his hair, "-Looks like her too-".

"-It doesn't mean that they are alike-". Tonks still seemed definate on staying far away from her, even as he watched Fabian attempt to hold her on the broom, causing both of them to fall over. "-We tried to ignore her too you know- but Molly told us she's nothing like Bellatrix- and I think she's right-".

"-I'm not bloody going down there to get called a Mudblood or worse-", he returned, glaring at his friend- yet he felt a little antsy watching Fabian fail to help the girl, immediately recognising what she was doing wrong. He'd done the same thing.

"-You know sometimes I wonder how you're a Hufflepuff-", returned Gideon .

"-What do you meen?-".

"-I mean-", continued Gideon, "-You can be a proper mean one when you want to-".

"-I am not being mean-", he defended, "-Its called self preservation. I'm a Muggleborn if you've forgotten. She may have been nice to you but that doesn't mean i'll get the same treatment-".

"-But-".

"-No Gideon-", he stated finally, though he didn't seem to definate in the way he spoke, wincing as the girl fell again.

"-Blimey- you really do have shoddy balance-". Molly elbowed Fabian. "-I-I mean...I don't know how to explain it to you- It comes natural to us' lot -".

"-Thank you for trying-", chuckled Andromeda.

"-Well you can't just give up-", responded Molly, glancing up to the boys. Gideon may not have been able to help her, but there was someone that she was sure could help them. "-You know what- Im going to do it-".

"-No Molly!-", warned Fabian, suddenly scrambling to hide behind Andromeda, knowing what she was going to do.

Yet she didn't listen. "-EDWARD!!!!! COME AND HELP US NOW!!!-". And suddenly Tonks shot down to the ground, hopping off of the broom whilst it was still moving, coming to tower over Molly with a glare as she smirked at him. "-Got you-".

"-Don't. Call. Me. Edward-", he growled.

"-Edward?-", questioned Andromeda, "-That name doesn't suit you at all-".

He snapped his head towards the girl, who quickly regretted speaking. "- What was that? _Black_ -".

"-I-It was just an observation-", she spoke, "-I-I'm sorry-". He wrinkled his nose for a moment. "-I-Uh- I saw you flying....you are quite fast....".

"-Fast in general-", he continued, lowering his voice, "-Or fast for a Muggle born?-".

"-J-Just fast-", she stuttered as he came closer to her , holding his broom beside him like a staff, "-I...uM...You are really close-". He grabbed her hand, sliding it closer to the front of the broom, which was a very confusing action to say the least. "-Oh- i-".

"-Get on-".

"-What?-", she searched his face as he titled his head in an annoyed manner, "-Oh- yeah-". She hopped onto the broom , wobbling . Yet this time she managed to stay atop it. And Fabian came beside Molly, watching in near shock.

"-Now you have to lean forwards when your moving on the broom- Or you'll drop- you cant sit as far back as the Prewetts do cause' you aint' as comfortable-". He bared his teeth at Molly. "-Happy?-". 

"-Yes-", she smiled back.

"-Right-", Andromeda leaned forwards, "-Like that?-".

"-Yes-", he spoke monotonely , "-Though-". He then poked her shoulder , and she immediately toppled off. "-I'd work on my grip if I were you-".

"-Hey!-", Andromeda complained, blowing her hair from her face that had fallen out of the ribbon, "-Why did you push me?-".

"-Its not my fault your not strong enough to push back-or that you decided to wear a dress -", he smirked, "- _Bellatrix_ -".

"-I am not Bellatrix-", she climbed to her feet frustraitedly.

"-Well- you look just like her-". She glared at him. "-Especially now-".

"-Oh you are so very mean-", she hissed.

"-Why thank you Madame prissy Princess-", he shook his head, climbing back onto his broom, "-now try again- and I'd reccomend not falling this time-". And he shot back up into the air as a very new expression came over Andromeda's face. One that Molly hadn't seen before. It was undeniably determined.

"-Um- Andromeda-". She watched her climb onto the broom again, this time seeming a little more sturdy. "-Hey - don't-". And she leaned forwards, not holding on tight enough, so the broom shoot out from beneath her, flying into the wall opposite them.

"-Ow-", she groaned.

"-Bless you-", chuckled Fabian, coming to help her up, "-You okay?-". And she shot a look to Tonks, who laughed.

"- _Fine_ -".

////////

After they'd had enough of Flying, they all made their way back inside to get some lunch, with the three boys marching infront of Andromeda and Molly, laughing amongst eachother as they made their way into the school building. "-Why is he so mean?-", Andromeda stared at the back of Tonk's head as he started to do a funny dance down the hall whilst the boys made up a terrible tone deaf song about Tonks' Flying skills. "- Is he always like that?-".

"-Not to us-", informed Molly, coming forwards to pluck a bit of grass from Andromeda's hair, "-He just doesn't like Bellatrix-".

"-I gathered that-", returned Andromeda, "-But I'm not Bellatrix-".

"-Well you do really look like her-", responded Molly, "-Its mostly the hair though and your eyes- though you have big eyes- they're very pretty-".

"-Oh-", the girl smiled, "-Thank you very much-".

"-Your welcome-", responded Molly, "-And anyway- just ignore him - he'll change his mind about you- give it time-". She slung her arm over the girls shoulder. "-You just need to show him how unlike Bellatrix you are -".

"-Right-", smiled Andromeda.

They came into the hall, all sitting together at the Gryffindoor table with Arthur, who was glad to see Ted. "-Hello Weasley-", the boy smiled, "-Its 'Ducking' nice to see you-".

Arthur laughed as the Prewetts cringed. "-That was a good one-".

"-It really wasn't-", chuckled Molly.

"-I didn't understand it-", added Andromeda, to which Ted seemed to roll his eyes, not even looking at her.

"-Oh-", Arthur smiled, "-We haven't met- have we-".

"-No- actually-", smiled Black, "-I'm An-".

"-Bellatrix number two-", finished Ted.

"-Andromeda-", she spoke anyway.

"-Nice to meet you-", replied Arthur, though it seemed he had taken note of Ted's response, changing his tone a little, "-So is Bellatrix your sister?-".

"-Can we stop talking about Bellatrix please-".

"-No- actually-", smirked Ted, folding his hand to rest his chin on them, "-How comes your sitting here with us and not being a menace to society with her - I'd think that I , a Muggle born, would scare a _lovely_ pureblood girl such as yourself away-".

"-I-I don't care if you are a Muggleborn-", lied Andromeda.

"-Oh well that sounded convincing-", he remarked.

"-Leave the poor girl alone Ted-", Molly shook her head, "-I'll tell your dad you are being mean-".

"-Like hell you will-".

"-She will-", the twins inputted, to which Ted gave a glare to Andromeda.

"-Whatever-".

"-Anyway-", spoke Molly, "-You boys come up with a plan yet?-".

"-No-", sighed Gideon, taking a sandwhich.

"-I said to nick some Sickles, not enough galleons to buy the entire sweet trolly-", returned Ted.

"-Wait- it was your idea-", pointed Molly, to which the boy shrugged, "- Really Ted-".

"-Well I didn't actually think they would do it- I said it as joke-", he swiveled on his seat, coming to rest his back against Fabians shoulder, "-Move your arm- I'm tired-". And Andromeda watched as the boy dissapeared benath the table, laying his head on his friends lap ,who just continued on eating.

So she leaned towards Molly, lowering her voice. "-Is that normal?-".

"-For Ted and Fabian?-", she chuckled, "-I'm surprised that Ted isn't sat on his lap- they're like an old married couple-its quite sweet actually-".

Andromed a raised a brow. "-Well sweet is not the word I would use- Odd- maybe-".

"-Well then- you have a lot to learn about Ted-", she stated, "-Especially if you think thats odd-".

////////

At dinner a dark owl made its way into the hall, swirling to come and place a letter down on Andromeda's lap- And Bellatrix eyed it for a moment begrudgingly. "-Someone's popular-". The Lestranges looked over from their food, sniggering after a moment. "-Well aren't you going to open it?-".

"-Not yet-", responded Andromeda, placing it into her pocket.

"-Hey Bellatrix-", smiled Rodulphus, "-Has your mother sent _you_ a letter yet?-".

The girl picked up her fork, glaring at him. "-No-".

"-Oh dear-", continued Rabastian.

"-You act as though I care-", returned Bellatrix, stabbing one of the sausages that had sat on her plate, "-I don't-". The twins looked to eachother. "-Seriously-".

"-I'm sure mother will write to you soon- I think she's just busy with Aunt Walburga-", offered Andromeda. And Bellatrix nodded.

"-Oh yeah-", she then spoke, deciding to change the subject, "-So, it seems you've met Edward Tonks-".

"-What?-", Andromeda fixed herself, "-How did you know that?-".

"-The Prewett boys and their big mouths this afternoon-", she chuckled, "-Yeah- i'd steer clear of him. You wouldn't want people to think you are friends with a _Mudblood_. Being around the Prewett girl is bad enough-".

"-Would you stop calling him a Mudblood-", argued Andromeda.

"-No-", she responded sternly, "-Why should I?-".

"-Because- Because....-". Andromeda couldn't really think of an arguement-not as the Lestranges began to snigger at her. "-Nevermind-". And after dinner Andromeda headed straight to her dorm room, carefully pulling the seal from the letter, sitting back onto the end of her bed.

**_My dearest Andromeda_ **

**_To say I am glad that you have found yourself a friend_ ** **_would be an understatement. I hope that she shows you all_ ** **_of the kindness and careful consideration that you, my_ ** **_dearest neice, deserve. Now I have been thinking upon your_ ** **_questions, about that Ted boy, though I recognise that this letter_ ** **_will likely find you after the pair of you have already met, so_ ** **_I shall tell you this. Molly is correct. Muggleborns, they are just like us-_ ** **_though much of our family would care to disagree...there are no scientific differences, or magical either._ ** **_Do you remember_ ** **_what I told you the evening before you departed. Well it has many meanings-_ ** **_one of which could help you in aiding stop your worries._ ** **_Treat the boy as an equal, not as though he is any different from you. I suppose t_ ** **_hats the only real advice on the situation I can give._ ** **_Oh, and you must tell_ ** **_me how this meeting went between the pair of you , I am very curious to know._ ** **_However i would suggest waiting a short while . I believe that your mother was snooping in my room_ ** **_today looking for the last letter you sent me._ ** **_I get the feeling that she doesn't trust me very much. As usual she is poking her nose into buisness that she ought not involve herself in, but where is the surprise there._ **

**_Anyhow , I look forwards to hearing from you._ **

**_-Your dearest Uncle Alphard_ **


	10. Dear Uncle Alphard

_**Dear Uncle Alphard** _

_**I know you asked of me to wait a short while, but I cannot refrain. There is much that I wish to tell you. The meeting between me and the Muggle born boy, Ted Tonks was , well, not the best. First he** _ _**refused to say hello to me, and then he did help me get on my broom but pushed me** _ _**off. He seems quite mean, but Molly says that its because he doesn't like Bellatrix** _ _**and that I look like her, which is quite strange. Normally being told I look like Bellatrix** _ _**wouldn't bother me, but me and Bellatrix are quite different I think, and it** _ _**doesn't feel nice when people say I am...or identical to her. I don't know. Do you think that we are different?** _ _**I've been wondering that a little bit since Saturday, unsure of the answer.** _ _**It's probably because I have never thought of it before. Never questioned if there was actually any differences between me and Bellatrix. And I had been tempted to question her on the subject, but she has been far too busy with her friends and I haven't wanted to interfer, so Ive been making my way through some of the books I packed, yet I am sad to say that I've nearly finished them all, which will not leave me with much to do when I am not with Molly or Bella.** _

_**Anyhow , I haven't seen Ted Tonks since that morning,**_ ** _probably because the second years have a very different time table to us._** ** _So , seeing as I don't have much about Ted To write, I'll tell you of_** ** _my week . Monday was quite a normal day I suppose, nothing odd._** ** _I did, however, have History of magic with Professor Binns, who , as it turns out, is_** ** _a ghost. It was strange being taught by him because, well, I kept on staring at the_** ** _table behind him . It was hard not to . It's very diffucult to focus on something near transparent, like trying_** ** _to stare at a window pane when theres a field on the other side full of beautiful flowers._** ** _So instead I decided to just keep staring down at my book for good measure. And then on Tuesday I had_** ** _Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall again , and we talked about the theory of actual_** ** _Transfiguration in class, instead of perfecting the Alphabet . I think I impressed her with how much I know, but its hard to tell._** ** _She's got quite a sterm face. You know, the type of face that always seems annoyed but isn't._** ** _Like Aunt Walburga's....but softer. I don't really know the correct way to describe it._** ** _Anyhow, I think we may be doing some practical things soon, which should be very fun._** ** _The same can be said for Potions, though I don't really like Professor Slughorn._** ** _I find him to be quite strange. Though he announced that we would be_** ** _learning some brewing towards October, which should be fun. Oh, and In Charms lesson , with our rather splendidly happy teacher,_** ** _we were taught how to use Leviosa. Well I already knew it, but it was fun doing it again._** ** _Yet Molly accidentally lifted up my feather that I had been given , rather than hers, making it bounce about._** ** _And I told Bellatrix about it too, though she didn't seem very interested. But I'm_** ** _sure that you will like to hear it._** _ **Yet the highlight of this week for me has to have been our flying lesson.**_ _ **It was so fun -**_ **_And Madame Hooch was impressed with the progress I have made, so I suppose I shall_** ** _have to thank Ted for that. Maybe that could spark a nice conversation between us . Though_** ** _I don't know when will be the next time that we meet. I've been going to the Gryffindoor table at lunch time with_** ** _Molly, yet for the last few days or so the twins and Ted have been nowhere to be seen ._** ** _Molly said that they were probably running around the school, causing trouble somewhere,_** ** _yet I get the feeling that Ted is trying to avoid me. But I have instead managed to get to know_** ** _a boy named Arthur Weasley, who seems ....very nice. And he has an obsessiom with ducks_** ** _apparently. He wears one around his neck as a charm. Not a real duck of course._** ** _Now that really would be silly. However_** ** _, tell me how things at home are-and give my love to dearest Sirius and Reggie, oh and Cissy too. Is mother still searching through your things? I hardly know what would pull her to do so?_**

**_-Andromeda_ **

//////

September 16th, 1964

"-What are you two playing at-". Molly stood before the fire in the Gryffindoor common room, blocking out the flames with her jumper as Fabian and Gideon sat on the long tattered sofa in front of her, finishing their conversation to give her the near same confused look. And she folded her arms, glaring at the lot of them. "-Don't look at me like that-". In the days since Saturday, Andromeda hadn't been the only one to notice the lack of Ted and , in the latter days, her brothers from the Gryffindoor table at Lunch or around the school in general . On the first day they hadn't arrived, the girl had thought nothing of it, yet on the second she felt a little confused, and on the third, well she was slightly annoyed. Yet that day it finally dawned upon her what they had been doing, and that, well, it did not make her happy, that was safe to say. 

"-We really don't know what you mean?-", replied Gideon with a tired sigh, settling back into the arm of the sofa as she glared at them.

"-Oh really-", Molly grabbed a pillow from one of the smaller arm chairs sat near her, throwing it at him, "-Why are you three avoiding coming to the Great Hall at lunch?-".

"-We aren't-", stated Fabian, clearly lying a little .

"-Yeah-", agreed Gideon, now rubbing his forehead where the pillow had thumped him, "-We've just been following Ted- he's the one that doesn't want to go to the Hall-". Molly glared at him. "-What?-".

"-Well if you two came to the hall he would come too- just because he wants to go somewhere else doesn't mean that you two need to follow him like sad little dogs!- If you came in, he'd not want to be walking around on his own and follow you anyway- You lot being just as bad as Bellatrix, so I've heard, by avoiding Andromeda-". The twins looked down a little guiltily. "-I lied for you Today ...you know...after I realised what's been going on - but no more.... She's my friend and she is going to be spending lunch with us whether you like it or not. And Ted is going to get to like her too- or Godric help be I'll dangle him from the Astronomy tower by his arse-". She came towards them, squeezing into the space on the sofa between Fabian and Gideon.

"-We have nothing against her you know-", stated Fabain, placing his arm over the back of the sofa.

"-Its just weird being around her, you know-", continued Gideon, "-She bloody looks like Bellatrix- Its scary-".

"-Well thats ironic coming from the twins-", she glared at them, "-You wouldn't like it if I ignored you because Fabian was mean to me- would you?-".

"-I mean-", he sighed, "-No- I wouldn't-".

"-Well its the same for Bellatrix and Andromeda-", replied Molly, "- Even though they aren't twins themselves-".

There was silence for a moment. "-I never really thought of it like that-", then stated Fabian, giving a slightly sad look to Gideon, who bobbed his head in acknowledgment, "-Has she said anything about it-".

"-I don't think she's realised why-", she slapped a hand on both of their thighs, "-Which is why tommorow at Lunch you two will be joining us- and Tonks- even if you have to drag the kid there by his ankles-". There was a great hesitant expression that came over the twins faces. They really didn't want to try and force Ted Tonks to do anything. "- Call him Edward If needs be-".

"-He'd probably kick us in the....Bludgers-", replied Gideon, "-I would rather not-",

"-I'll kick both of you in the Bludgers if you dont-", she returned, "-I don't get what his issue is-".

"-Its because Bellatrix called him a Mudblood-".

"-I knew that Sherlock-", Molly rolled her eyes.

"-He means-", continued Fabian, "-We aren't Muggleborns. We don't know what it feels like to be called that word. Maybe to him in his mind he has every right to want to avoid anyone even slightly affiliated with Bellatrix-".

"-She isn't like Bellatrix-".

"-We know-", they chimed. "-But he wont listen-".

"-I tried to get him to come down from his broom on saturday before you called him Molls-", informed Gideon, "-But he said to me that it was 'self preservation' for him to stay away from her-".

"-I will never understand that boy-", then stated Molly with a huff .

"-Maybe we could stick a guitar to the back of Andromeda's head-", joked Fabian, "-Then he'd be all over her-". The Prewetts laughed. "-Strumming at her whilst singing along-". 

"-Don't be an idot Fabs-", Molly yawned, curling up a little so that she leaned closer to Gideon. "-Honestly- I'm worried that you two idiots may very well go along with that plan-". They smirked to eachother. "-Don't you dare-".

"-We wont-", chuckled Fabian , who had been actually thinking about it, as his brother shifted. 

"-Tired are ya' Molls-". The girl nodded. "-Want your big brothers to sing for you?-".

"-I'd rather hear nails agains a chalkboard thank you-".

"-Whaaaat-", they smirked. "-You don't want to hear:..-".

"- _Molly, Molly, we're so Jolly, to be with you- Molly , Molly , Molly, our little dolly, our sister, we love_ -". They both raised their arms, "- _you_!-". And they descended upon her tickling the girl so that she screamed, writhing about, which made a group of third year girls who sat across the room laugh.

"-STOPPPP!-", she cried through her laughter, having to flop onto the ground to get away from the pair of them - and she sprinted across the room to the steps leading to the dormitores, running up them until she could hop up onto the girls set and to safety. "-Go to bed you imbocils-".

"-Mooooolly-", they sang, bobbing up an down with their fingers perched like claws. 

"-Shoo!-", She took off her jumper, begining to swat at them as Arthur came down the steps from the boys dormitories, spotting them, "-Help me Arthur!-". And the boys turned to him, sneering. 

"-Uh-oh-", he turned, begining to sprint back up the stairs as they boys dove after him, and Molly laughed. 

"-THANKS A BUNCH WEASLEY!-". 

/////

September 17 th, 1964

"-So-", Molly grabbed a sandwhich from the silver platter between her and Adromeda as she sipped at her goblet, with both of them taking a momentary glance to Arthur, who had begun whispering to his duck pendant. And both of their cheeks seemed to get fuller as the pair attempted not to laugh as to not seem mean. "-Y-You did so much better in flying this week -". Molly took a few deep breaths.

"-Thank you-", smiled Andromeda , "-but I wouldn't have been able to do it without Ted-". Molly glanced back towards the entrance to the hall. "-What do you keep looking at?-".

"-Nothing-", she replied with a smile, then seeming to frown, "-Oh Godric-".

"-What?-", Andromeda slowly turned her head, raising both brows in surprise, "-Bella!- Hi-". The girl stopped her walking beside Andromeda, giving a strange mocking look to Molly. It was safe to say that neither of them had expected to see her, especially since she'd said that she didn't go to the Hall at lunch. "-Oh Bellatrix this is Molly- remember I said -".

"-I know-", she paused her , "-Your the little sister of those two fools-". She cocked her head to the door as Fabian and Gideon ran in, followed by Tonks, who crashed into the back of them as they scrambled to a stop a good few paces away from Bellatrix. "-Hello boys-".

"-Bellatrix-", they squeaked, looking to Molly who shrugged.

"-As ginger as ever I see-", she observed with a smirk, to which Prewett frowned. It was her first encounter with Bellatrix, and , truthfully, she could already see what her brothers meant about the girl. She was terribly mean- and she, truthfully, looked like Andromeda- well, that was until she took a closer inspection. 

"-Bella-", spoke Andromeda quietly, deciding to take her attention, "-What are you doing here?-".

"-Well- the twins had to speak to Slughorn about something- and I saw you from the hall-", she glared at the others, "-So I thought I would come and say hello to my special little sister-". Ted pushed through the 'twin' barricade, coming infront of them. "-Oh look- you're here too- our resident Muggle born-".

"-You need to leave-", he instructed to Bellatrix firmly.

"-Its a free country -". The twins quickly grabbed onto Teds arms holding him back incase he lunged for her, which was highly possible judging by the look of pure anger that crossed his face, "-I can be wherever I want-".

"-Bellatrix-", hissed Andromeda, feeling the tension around them grow. She didn't want to be horrible to her sister, but she could also tell that Ted, Fabian, Gideon and even the rather silent Arthur didn't like her being there. "-I'll speak to you later ...okay-".

"-No-", spoke Bellatrix, not liking how she had immediately chosen her friends over her own sister , "-I _know_ \- Why don't you join me for a walk , you know, seeing as the boys are occupied- we haven't spent time together in a while-", she smiled, to which Andromeda seemed a little stuck. She didn't know whether to follow her sister, or stay with her friends, "-I'll be out in the hall-". And with that she sauntered her way past the trio of boys , sneering at them as she went.

"-Get off of me-", Ted then snatched himself out of twins grasp, glaring at Andromeda, "-Are you going or what?-".His words had come out far more snappy than he had intended, and Black blinked at him, shifting uncomfortablly.

"-Ted-", scolded Molly to the boy, who's anger seemed to fade at the startled look in little Andromeda's eyes.

"-No-Its fine Molly-I was going to - um- go anyway-", she climbed out of her seat, "-I'll see you in class tommorow-".

"-I....right-". She watched Andromeda set off after Bellatrix as Ted, Fabian and Gideon sat down. "-What is wrong with you?- she did nothing to you!-".

"-Don't shout at me-", he argued.

"-Don't upset my friend then-", she snapped back.

"-Its not my fault that you had to go and make friends with _her_ sister-", Ted growled, thumping his fist on the table .

"-Alright- Alright-", calmed Fabian, "-Please stop arguing over it. You don't like Andromeda - you do...lets leave it at that-".

////

"-I thought I said that you should stay away from Ted Tonks-", stated Bellatrix as her and Andromeda began to stroll their way through the school together , with Andy looking back in the direction of the hall a few times as they grew further and further away, unintentially exploring. It felt sort of strange for her and Bellatrix to be alone together again. She hand't been alone with her since they had been at home, seeing as the only, rare oppertunities she got to see or speak to her was when she was in the common room joined, as always, by the Lestranges, or at meals, when they spent the entire time muttering about other students. They hand't just...talked. The pair of them, together, with no other distractions than the distant mumerings of their peers.

"-I don't think he likes me anyway-", replied Andromeda a little sadly, "-Because of you-".

"-What do you mean by that?-", Bellatrix paused, wrinkling her nose , "- _Because of me?_ -".

"-No- I-I didn't mean it like that-", stated Andromeda quickly, "-I just mean that because he doesn't like you- he doesn't like me-". She stopped walking, leaning against the wall. "-Anyway....lets not talk about it-".

Bellatrix examined her for a moment. "-Okay-", she placed her hands on her hips, "-What should we talk about?-".

"-I....Um....-". Andromeda didn't know. "-What classes do you have tommrow?-". Bellatrix groaned. "-What?-".

"-I don't want to talk about classes-", she complained, "- I hate them-".

"-How can you hate classes?-".

"-Because-", returned Bellatrix, "-Everything is so boring- and the only good suject from last year is being taught by a brainless bowtruckle-".

"-Fuzzywizz?-", asked Andromeda.

"-Yeah- that one-", spoke Bellatrix, "-His face annoys me- and his glasses-".

"-He fell down the stairs in our first lesson with him-", informed Andromeda.

"-No-", chuckled Bellatrix, fixing her hair, "-Did he really?-". Her sister nodded, to which her chuckle turned into more of a cackle.

"-He shouldn't be allowed to teach-", she smirked, "-Like Professor Slughorn- have you had the creepy stare yet?-".

"-YES!-", exclaimed Andromeda, "-Oh I am so glad I am not the only one he does that to-".

"-Trust me- He did it for the whole of first year-", reminisced Bellatrix, "-I hated it with a passion-".

"-So he's stopped then- this year I mean?-". Bellatrix pulled a funny face. "-Oh Godric he hasn't-".

"- _Godric_?-". The light hearted air around them seemed to lift. "-What are you - a Gryffindoor- who says _Godric_?-".

"-I didn't mean to say it-", stated Andromeda truthfully.

"-Well just- don't say it again-", Bellatrix shook her head dissaprovingly, "- Salazaar-You're spending too much time with _Prewett_. Next thing we know you'll be walking around in a red jumper with clay earrings and Ginger Hair-".

"-Well its not like I have anyone else to spend time with-", spoke Andromeda, not defending her friend.

"-Um- Hello-", Bellatrix pointed to herself.

"-But you are always with the Lestranges...and they make me...uncomfortable-", stated Andromeda honestly.

"-They do it on purpose-", she announced, "- they're much better to be around when you know them- even if they are absolute slime balls sometimes-". So Andromeda just nodded, not much agreeing with her."-Whats wrong?-".

"-Huh?-".

"-You're frowning?-".

"-Oh- I didn't notice-", she stated, receiving quite the disbeleiving eyebrow raise from her sister, "-I really didn't-".

They stood there for a moment, before Bellatrix sighed. "-This Saturday- you should spend the day with us -". 

"-But...What about Molly?...", frowned Andromeda. 

"-I'm sure Weasley can go a day without you-", she folded her arms, "-You aren't really going to deny your sister, are you?-". 

"-N-No-". 

"-Good-", affirmed Bellatrix, "-We'll show you what real Witches and Wizards do..".


	11. Wiggenweld potion

September 18th 1964

"-I really am sorry about yesterday-", spoke Molly quietly as Slughorn nattered about that days subject, "- Though I think Bellatrix coming over made it worse-". Andromeda frowned, continuing to write down notes into her book.

"-Why are you apologising- I chose to leave?-".

"-Only because Ted was mean-", stated Molly, "-he shouldn't have spoken to you like that-". She shifted on her seat. "-He's got a temper like wet paper sometimes- it'd take a sharp look to break it-".

"-I-uh- Don't really want to speak about that -", replied Andromeda kindly , raising up in her chair a bit to see what Slughorn had added to the board.

"-Oh- Right-", she replied, though she couldn't stop thinking about it, "-You are going to sit with us this lunch- aren't you...Well by 'us'... I mean me-". She dipped her quill into her pot of ink. "-I'm quite sure that we will not be entertained by the pleasure that is my brothers and Tonks-".

"-Sure-", smiled Andromeda as they fell into silence again whilst Slughorn scurried across his classroom, starting to search through a set of vials that rested on his desk. And once Andromeda had finished writing down her notes, she placed her quill down infront of her , stretching. "-It's very quiet in here- it reminds me of the Slytherin common room-".

Molly raised a brow inquisitively. She didn't know much of the Slytherin common room as she had never known someone who was in Slytherin before Andromeda, and it was safe to say that she was curious. "-Whats it like in there?- I heard all of the sofa's were made of leather and its really dark-".

Andromeda nodded. "-Thats right- and theres a big fire place - and really high ceilings...so it's always quite cold actually. And my rooms similar- especially seeing as i'm alone in it-".

"-Me too-", replied Molly, "-But I stay with my brothers sometimes when they aren't being annoying-".

"-Bella stayed with me on the first night-", replied Andromeda, recalling the sisterly gesture, "-she hasn't since. And I don't want her to have to share with me if she doesn't want to . Though it is quite lonely- and empty-".

"-Then you should start filling it with things you like- thats what I've started doing-", instructed Molly, "-...What do you like actually?-". She realised in that moment that she didn't actually really know much about Andromeda in those regards. They hadn't spoken much about their likes and dislikes. Most of their recent conversations had been about lessons and...well... Ted.

Black had to take a moment to think. "-I suppose I like books....and I like to sing-".

"-Can you sing?-", pressed Molly, surprised by the information- and Andromeda shrugged, "-You don't know?-".

"-I've never sung infront of anyone-", she stated, "-so I have no clue if I can sing or not-".

"-Why have you never sung infront of anyone?-". Molly knew that if she thought she could sing that she would have never stopped doing it.

"-I don't know-", she replied , "-I don't really want to-".

"-Well thats not a response-", Molly turned on her chair, "-C'mon- sing for me-".

"-No-", Andromeda laughed , shaking her head.

"-Oh come on- please-", stated Molly, receiving the same response yet again, "-Fine you don't have to sing to me today, but you have to sing to me on the thirtieth of October-".

"-What?-". Andromeda lifted back up her quill. "-Why the Thirtieth of October?-".

"-Its my birthday-", proclaimed Molly, "-The best day of the entire year-".

"-Thats...cool?-", stated Andromeda, "-But why is it the best day of the year. Its just your birthday?-".

"-Um- Excuse me-", stated Molly, "-How is it not the best day of the year? You get presents and cake-".

"-Cake?-", Andromeda furrowed her brows, "-What does cake have to do with birthdays?-".

"-You have to be joking-", stated Molly, getting a little louder, "-YOU'VE NEVER HAD BIRTHDAY CAKE!-". The rest of their class turned towards the two girls, with Amos chuckling at Molly's open armed stance. "-Sorry-". Professor Slughorn shook his head at the girl.

"-Anyhow- ", the man continued, "-I was going to ask- can anyone tell me what the wiggenweld potion is?-". Scamander placed up his hand. "-Yes young man-".

"-I-It's a potion that can heal injuries-".

"-Very good- one point to Hufflepuff-", praised Slughorn, searching the class with his eyes, "- and can anybody tell me the story behind the Wiggenweld potion- its one that inspired a Muggle fairytail-". Andromeda, who had just begun to listen, raised her hand, and Slughorn beamed. "-Ah!- Miss Black- please- go ahead-".

"-R-right-", she spoke as Molly chuckled, "-The story behind the Wiggenweld potion is of a young princess. She was put into eternal sleep by an old Hag named Leticia...something.....Som....Som...oh!- Somnolens, using the Draught of Living Death-". And as soon as she finished Slughorn began to clap, getting some of the other students to join in, which was unbearibly awkward to be frank. So Molly took to overdoing it , making Andromeda giggle.

"-Brilliant Miss Black- four points to Slytherin-".

"-Wow-", then spoke Prewett, "-I can feel the favoritism-".

Amos leaned towards the girls. "-I'd be careful if I were you Black-", he spoke quite hauntingly , "-I heard that he has pictures of Pureblood students all over his office- you might be next-".

"-Thank you Amos-", Andromeda shook her head.

"-Pictures?-", Molly spoke, "-I'm surprised the creep hasn't got their severed heads on the wall-". She stuck out her tongue , crossing her eyes in a morbid manner- And both girls cackled.

////

Ted stared to the window of the Transfiguration classroom, daydreaming out of it as Fabian scratched down some notes from his book, glancing to the boy after a moment. He kept on thinking about how he had shouted at Andromeda- it wouldn't leave his mind. "-Oi-Tonks-". He cocked his brow, looking back to him. "-I'd do my work before Minerva notices-". At the front of the classroom atop the teachers desk sat a large tabby cat, which scanned the room, meeting the boys gaze for a moment, before he shot his head down to the book, staring letters for a moment.

"-Re-farty-parge?-", he read from the page, two which Fabian snorted, having to cover his mouth, "-Thats what is bloomin says-".

"-No it doesn't-", the boy sniggered, "-It says _Reparifarge_ -". Ted winced his eyes attempting to read the page of tiny letters before he sighed, pushing the book away.

"-Whatever-", he stated , sinking into his chair.

"-Hey- this is important information Tonks-", stated Fabian, "-It 'reverses the effects of an incomplete spell'-".

"-Well maybe you could just complete the spell- then you wouldn't need it-", he gave him a smug smile, "-done-".

Fabian stared at him in disbeleif. "-You know sometimes your stupidity concerns me-".

"-I am not stupid-", he replied .

"-Academically- you are-". Ted rolled his eyes. "-I bet you don't even know what 'six plus six' is-".

"-thirty-six....-".

"- _Plus_ you idot-", laughed Fabian.

"-Oh- Twelve-", he couldn't help but chuckle himself, "-I may not be stupid - but I might be deaf-".

"-What are you two laughing about-". The boys turned on their chairs to Gideon, who sat on his own desk at the back of the class

"-Ted said 'six plus six' was 'thirty-six'-".

Gideon shook his head. "-You've got the brain of a six year old sometimes-".

"-Piss off-", he sniggered.

"-Oh dear- he's bringing out the big boy words-", smirked Gideon, "-I'm surprised you didn't say that to Black-". Ted's amused expression fell.

"-Whats everyones obsession with that bloody pureblood-", he wrinkled his nose, "-I'd understand if she was pretty- but she looks like Bellatrix-".

"-Well- i mean-", Gideon glanced to the front of the classroom where Black sat, smirking to Rabastian, "-She's aight' I suppose-".

"-You are despicable dear brother-", Fabian shook his head, "-Attracted to the enemy are we-".

"-Never-", he smirked back.

"-Alright then - lets test that shall we-", Ted crossed his legs on his chair, "-Kiss, Marry....and...ya know- ".

"-No-", they shook their heads.

"-Alrighty then-", he chuckled, "-Lets just stick with Kiss, kill and Marry....erm Gids- you first-".

"-Damnit-", he chuckled.

"-Kiss, Kill and Marry....Bellatrix....Professor McGonagall...and ...Fuzzywizz-".

"-Fuzzywizz is a Guy-", he responded , sticking his tongue out, "-Who'd snog a guy-". Fabian paused for a moment, frowning a little.

"-Jus' do it would ya'-".

"-Fine-", he cleared his throat, "-Um...Kiss....Bellatrix...Kill Fuzzywizz and Marry McGonagall-?".

"-Marry who now, Mr Prewett?-". He turned deathly pale. "-Well I thank you for the gesture young man- but I beleive I am far too old for you-". Ted pulled his robes up over his face as to not burst into hysterics. "-Though I must say I may propose myself if you three would take the time to actually finish your work once in your lifetimes-". She glanced to Teds book. "-Especially you , Mr Tonks-".

"-Yes Professor-", he spoke, muffled by the fabric of his robes, and as she walked away, Gideon slapped his shoulder firmly as he sunk beneath the table, red faced and giggling.


	12. Convincing Tonks

"-I can't beleive that she heard you-", laughed Ted as they made their way towards the Great Hall, with Fabian and Gideon still in hysterics over Professor McGonagall overhearing his 'proposal' . And the woman watched them from the door as they walked away shaking her head, before giving a glance to Tonk's book, wrinkling her brows at it. So she stepped towards the desk , peering in at the letters on the page that barely, at a streatch of the mind, made coherent words. There was even a scentance that contained more 'I's in it than she had seen in her entire life.

"-I thought she would have given you a detention-", they bounded down the hallway, bouncing off of eachother like deranged rabbits.

"-I wouldn't reccommend getting a detention with the trouble we're already in-", sighed Fabian, "-You wouldn't have three Galleons lying around would you Tonksy-".

"-No- I don't- and If I did I would be getting a new guitar string - My 'd's a little broken -", he stated in a professional manner. He needed a new 'D' string after it got caught on a door, and had streatched out a bit so that whenever he played a song it sounded a bit wobbly.

"-Is it really-", Smirked Fabian suggestively.

"-Oi-", he shoved him, "-Not that one-".

"-No- He actualy means the one he'll get in Transfiguration-", responded Gideon, slinging his arm over the boys shoulder, "-For 'Destined faliure'-".

"-Its not like you do much more work than me-", argued Ted.

"-Because you distract me-", announced Gideon.

"-How do I distract you?-", he fluttered his eyelashes, "-Am I that beautiful?-".

"-No-", returned the boy, "-You remind me of a really ugly pig-".

"-How dare you-", he wacked his arm back, thumping Gideon in the....bludgers...causing him to keel over as he shot off down the hallways, chased by Fabian who laughed, yelling false curses at him until they came to the entryway of the Great Hall, from which they could see the severe lack of students. And Tonks paused, staring at Andromeda and Molly as they laughed over their Lunches, stepping out of the way as Fabian slipped, crashing into the wall. And Prewett then raised her hand, waving them over as Black turned, seeming to appear a little deflated upon the sight of Tonks, who, despite wanting to despise her, felt a strange feeling bubble in the pit of his stomach. He knew that he shouldn't have been so agressive the day before hand, but Bellatrix and the way that she looked at him had riled up his temper. And Andromeda's face when he had been so sharp. He could see it as clear as day, upset and thoughtful. Yet she was just a 'stupid Black' anyway. He shouldn't have felt bad for her at any rate. From what he knew of the Blacks, they were all rich and entitled....and another word, which he could never seem to spell. And someone who resembled Bellatrix so much couldn't have been as different from her as everyone had been trying to convince him. He wouldn't believe it.

"-Ow-Ow-", Fabian groaned, pulling himself from the stone, "-Tonks- you could have at least caught me-". He stared at his profile for a moment. "-Earth to Tonksy - can you hear me?-".

"-She's there-", he pointed, ignoring Gideon, "-Why can't she just bloody go and sit with the rest of the Slytherins-".

"-So what if she's there ?-", he replied, watching as Gideon limped towards them, red faced, "-You alright there brother-".

"-Shut up-", the boy hissed, shoving Tonks before examining his quite numb response. And he smirked to his brother, understanding the meaning of the boyd stillness. "-You feel bad- don't you?- Somewhere in that closed off heart of yours there is an apology brewing- ".

"-For punching you in the 'you know what'- Never-", joked Ted.

"-You know what I mean-". Gideon placed his hand on Tonks' shoulder. "-I'll say this once more Ted....Give her a chance man- And don't snap at her like you did yesterday. Molly may just murder you in your sleep-".

"-I-", he looked her up and down, "-I don't.....-".

"-If you can't give us a good explanation for not going over there, then you have no reason not to-", he stated, "-Trust us Ted. If we thought that she was going to start slurring at you or whatever we wouldn't get you to come over....that and the fact that we want to be able to eat with our little sister- and its hard when you refuse to go near Andromeda...".

Gideon nodded. "-Fabian is right-", he leaned to the boys ear, "-And you know how Molly put it the other night: She said it would be like If she refused to talk to me because I look like Fabs- imagine how annoying that would be-". Ted wrinkled his nose. "-And me and Fabs are not the same person-".

"-Not at all-", replied Fabian , "-We are very different-".

"-Very-", affirmed the other, "-...sometimes-". And after a moment Ted flopped his head back, giving in a bit. But he wasn't going over there to make friends with a 'Black'. He was going over there for Molly and Molly only. "-Aye there you go-". And Fabian and Gideon took him by the biceps, dragging him into the hall towards the table, sitting him down beside Molly and across from Andromeda , who stared at him for a moment, before looking down to her plate. And the Prewett boys placed themselves down either side of Andromeda, smiling at her in a quite frightening manner.

"-Good afternoon Black-", greeted Fabian, "-How have you been today?-".

"-Oh -Um - Very good-", she replied.

"-We were just talking about Slughorn- the creep gives her stares all lesson-", stated Molly informatively , chewing her food, "-Its funny sometimes-".

"-It really isn't-", Andromeda replied, glancing to Ted as he rolled his eyes, coming to rest his jaw on his palm with a huff, "-Hi...h-how are you?-".

Ted looked behind himself in a dramatic way, before snapping his head around to Andromeda. "-You speaking to me?-".

Andromeda sank back into her seat a little. "-W-Who else?-".

Molly gave Ted a glare, who then sighed. "-I'm fine...I s'pose -". He narrowed his eyes, giving the entire hall a quick examination. "-No Bellatrix today?-Other than yourself , of course-".

"-Ted-", Prewett punched him in the shoulder.

"-OW!-it was a bloody joke- Jesus your strong-".

"-Well it wasn't funny. I would appreciate it if you could stop being such an idiot-", she folded one leg over the other, "-I am seriously-". She made a measurement with her finger. "-This close to writing a letter home to your father-".

"-You better not-".

"-Try me-", she hissed.

"-I'll- I'll-".

"-You'll what?-", she leaned towards him agressively, "-Hmm-".

Black frowned, deciding to break through the argument. "-I-I'm sorry if my sister made you all uncomfortable....but she's not as bad as you guys think-", stated Andromeda, "-She can be kind sometimes....and I mean...she's never been properly mean to me....you know....".

Molly frowned, unable to defend Andromeda's words. "-Oh is that so-", snarked Ted, sitting forwards, "-She called me a 'Mudblood' and cursed about my Mam'. Then she proceeded to set my homework on fire and tried to use a knockback jinx on me -From that, I hope you can see how what you are saying is hard to belive-".

"-And she hexed my broom-", added Gideon a little quietly, wanting to be able to provide his own complaint.

"-Mine too...", muttered Fabian, grabbing for a sandwhich, "-And she knocked me down the moving steps-".

"-What?....why on earth would she do that?-". Andromeda knew that her sister could be mean, but not that mean. She couldn't imagine Bellatrix doing all those things to people, unless they deserved it. But then again, a great part of her could envision her sister doing so.

"-Because shes a b-".

"-oi-", warned Molly, raising her finger in a motherly way.

"-ully-", he finished, "-And I bet you've done your fair share of that too-".

"-N-No....what?-", defended Andromeda, "-I've never bullied anyone in my life-". It was true. She had never bullied anyone. Actually the only reason why she knew the meaning of the word bullying was because of her Uncle Alphard, who greatly discouraged anything that fell into its vast category.

"-Oh really-", Ted folded his arms, "-I _definately_ believe that- Bet you and your sister talk about us lot behind our backs- probably sit over there with the rest of the snakes hissing about us-".

Andromeda went to speak, pausing for a moment. She had actually spoken about them a bit. But she was never mean. It was always Bellatrix who had the mean things to say. "-I wouldn't-", she argued in a determined manner, "-And I wouldn't 'bully' you either...i've actually been wanting to say thank you-".

Ted, who suddenly seemed a tad bit surprised, sat up. "-For what?-", yet his words remained as distasteful as they had been the entire time.

"-Because you helped me-", she smiled.

"-Huh?-".

"-Her flying-", re-iterated Molly, "-She actually managed to stay on her broom last lesson-". Andromeda nodded. "-Thanks to your help-".

Ted didn't know what to say, meeting Andromeda's gaze as she twinkled at him, bring his palm to rub the back of his neck in a thoughtful manner . "-I ...Uh....Whatever-", he watched her smile turn into a frown.

"- _Oi_ \- can you be nice- she was thanking you-", replied Prewett, "- I swear to Godric-".

"-It's fine Molly-", replied Andromeda , shifting , "-But I was thinking....Ted....Maybe you would like to know me better?- Maybe then we could get along...we all could get along.....So we should speak about the things we like.... -". Fabian nodded his head with a slight smile.

"-Nope-", returned Ted, not wanting to have any part in it or her desperation .

"-Well I will start them-", she replied, trying to seem unphased.

He groaned, thumping his head down on the table. "-Bloody slytherins-".

"-How about... we talk about Music-", she smiled to Prewett, "-What type of Music do you like?-".

"-The Marvellettes and like Etta James mostly-". Andromeda imediately seemed confused, suddenly realising that she knew near to nothing about Music. "-They are Muggle Artists-".

"-Artists?....you listen to painters?-". The Black family had a specific artist who would come and take family portraits and things-and he'd sit there the entire time, jittering , carefully dabbing at his painters pallet with his brush. She'd never considered his line of work to be very musical.

"-Blimey - You are clueless-", Ted's head quickly shot up from the table , "-Artists create Music- 'Musical Artists'- And they are named that way for a good reason too. Most music is art. Art to the ears-". He spoke in a very animated manner, almost acting out every word.

"-If you can't tell-", Molly chuckled to his flapping, "-Ted is very passionate about music-".

"-Really?-".

"-Yes- really-", he returned roughly, "-Music is brilliant-".

"-He actually plays the guitar and sings -", Prewett smirked at Andromeda, "-You know Andromeda sings too, Ted-". Andromeda's eyes windened, not caring for that information being spread around.

"-What?-", he looked her up and down, "-Sings like a dying cat most likely-".

"-She's probably better than you-", teased Gideon, sticking up for her a little.

"-Say that again and I'll rip your balls off next time-", growled Ted, turning his attention back to Black, "-Go on then- give us a song if you can sing-".

"-Um- I- I-".

"-Not now Ted-", replied Molly, saving her friend, "-But she's gonna sing for me on my Birthday-".

"- _Really_ -". She nodded. "-What song?-".

"-What?-".

"- _What?_ -", mimicked Ted, "- I asked what song you are going to sing to our Molly-".

"-I was....just going to make something up....", she stated quietly. She didn't know any songs herself.

Tonks laughed. "-Well it wont be very _good_ then...", he teased, to which Molly grabbed a grape from a bowl of fruit, throwing it at his cheek.

"-Alright - for that you have to sing too-", she then announced .

"-Fine-", replied Ted, "-I would love to show Black how its really done-".

"-Great-", beamed Molly, enjoying the prospect of getting two songs for her birthday, "-I cant wait-The pair of you can come to the dorm after classes-".

Andromeda frowned as Ted smirked at her, shifting in his seat as Arthur sat down beside him. She most definately could wait. She'd never sung infront of anyone before, and now it appeared that she would have a growing audience. Yet she didn't want to suddenly decline her vocal gesture. Especially not seeing as Molly seemed so excited about it. "-Heya Weasley- 'Ducky' seeing you here-", remarked Ted, slapping his hand- and Arthur laughed, loving his 'duck' puns.

"-Oh Godric- they are getting worse-", cried Molly.

"-Whats going on?-", then asked Weasley, seeing Andromeda frown in thought, starting to dread the thirtieth of October a bit.

"- Our Gideon is getting married-", chuckled Ted, to which the received a scolding glare.

"-Really?-", Andromeda looked to the boy. He most definately seemed far too young to be getting married. But then she didn't know how other families did the whole 'betrothal'- marriage thing.

"-Not really, you spanner-", returned Ted, "-We were doing 'Kiss , Kill, Marry' and he said he'd marry McGonagall- and she bloomin heard him. Best part is she played along too-".

"-No!-", Cackled Molly as Gideon's cheeks turned red.

"-Well he didn't give me many good options-", Gideon defended, "-Bellatrix, Fuzzywizz and McGonagall-".

"-I would have chosen McGonagall too in that case over Bellatrix and Fuzzywizz-", chuckled Molly, half forgetting that Andromeda was still with them . And Andromeda frowned at the girl.

"-I would have said old Fuzzy-head-", chuckled Fabian, "-At least you'd get a laugh out of being married to him-".

"-Thats so frickin' weird Fabs-", laughed Gideon, shaking his head.

"-Well I think Professor McGonagall is a weird choice too-", returned the boy a little sharply.

"-Who would have known-" , joked Ted, "-My two best friends have an attration to older people-".

"-NO!-", they yelped, "-WE DON'T-".

"-Sureee-", he teased, "- Bet you'd be on your knees for Fuzzy , Fabs- the pair of your are a toyboy duo-".

"-What do you mean?-", Andromeda furrowed her brows, confused - and the boys accent wasn't at all helping her to understand better. He spoke quite quickly and said things in a 'funny' way.

"-Ignore him -He's got a dirty mind-", stated Molly.

"-Dirty?-".

"-I -uh-" , she scratched her head, "-How do I explain this?-".

"-I'll do it-", offered Ted with a sinister look.

"-NO!-", they all chimed. 


	13. The competetive Tonks

September 19th, 1964

Much as she had done the Saturday before hand, Andromeda awoke early, heading to the adversley closed chest at the end of her bed to get dressed for the day ahead. She'd been wondering to herself, as she laid awake before getting up, what it would have in store. She wasn't too sure of what her sister spent her time doing around the halls of Hogwarts- and was, quite honestly, intriqued to find out. So instead of rummaging through the box to look for an old dress, she examined her selection of new ones that rested on the top, taking out, after a moment, the most purple, sleek one that shimmered a little with every change of the light . And she fought her way inside of the dress , deciding to leave her curls out to be free and wild, before making her way out of the dorm room, heading eagerly down the steps to the common room, where many of the Slytherin students sat, chattering quietly as the fire crackled in the hearth. And in the centre of them on the largest seat sat Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Rabastian, who didn't bother turning to greet the girl as she came to join them, sitting down slowly whilst they laughed at Bellatrix's newest bit of Gossip . "-Good morning-", smiled Andromeda, to which she finally caught their attention. 

"-Andy-", greeted Bella, leaning forwards, "-Morning-". Rudolphus sat back into the chair, looking the girl up and down with a sneer to is twin. She looked half as though she were attempting to upstage Bellatrix with her look. No, she was. Her dress was far prettier than her sisters by far. 

"-Nice outfit-", the boy complimented , giving a short glance to Bellatrix who clearly didn't like the fact that he had said such a thing to her sister and not her,

"-Oh-", she laughed a little awkwardly, "-Thank you-". 

"-I have one just like it-", blurted Bellatrix, "-But in Black. Black is a better colour than purple-". 

"-Black is miserable-", returned Rabastian , shaking his head, to which Andromeda smiled little.

"-Who you smirking at?-", then growled Rudolphus, startling the younger girl. 

"-What-", suddenly stuttered Andromeda, watching as both boys began to cackle.

"-They're playing with you sister-", informed Bellatrix, chuckling at her face, "- Honestly- why do you look so scared?-". 

"-Do I?-". 

"-Like a deer in Headlights-", jested Rabastian with a laugh.

"-Oh- Right-", Andromeda falsley joined in with their tittering , holding hers even when the others had finished, which made her look quite strange- to which she slowly closed her mouth, folding her palms on her lap in the slight awkward silence that followed as the twins judged her, amusing themselves. 

"-Anyway-", continued Bellatrix, "-What I was saying- before that interruption- was that I heard that Mr great Gryffindoor Keeper Wood has been talking to-". She cocked her head across the room to a young witch with tanned skin and doe eyes, who laughed with her friends, jotting down some notes to put into her homework booklet. She was very quite pretty, with sharp eyes and a large smile that was all glossy.

"-Wood?-", Andromeda broke into their conversation, "-Isn't he also the Captain-". 

"-Yes-", replied Bellatrix quickly, "-But what makes it worse is that she is dating last years Slytherin Qudditch captain who lost his title-". She sat Back, glaring at her out of the corner of her eye. "-It's very sca- sca....scandelous- Salazaar that was hard to get out-". Andromeda couldn't help but notice that the way in which she spoke to the Lestranges was far different than when they spoke alone. She sounded very much like their Aunt Walburga, gossping and sneering. 

"-How did he loose his title-", wondered Andromeda. 

"-Because of the the Gryffindoors- thats how-", replied Rabastian with a great amount of distaste, "-Liars- the lot of them-". 

"-And Professor McGonagall listens to everything they say- she's like their lap dog-", stated his brother. 

"-Clear favoritism-", finished Bellatrix, "-I hate her more than Slughorn hates personal space-".

"-She can't be that bad-", disagreed Andromeda- and it was quickly made clear by the reactions of her sister and the twins that such an opinion was not popular, "-S-She always tells Molly off-", stated the girl , "- Like when she couldn't do the Transfiguration Alphabet in our first lesson- and she's a Gryffindoor-". 

"-Couldn't do the Transfiguration Alphabet?!-". The Lestranges cackled. "-My, dear Sister, It seems you have made friends with an imbocil-". 

"-Thats not true-", defended Andromeda less than sternly , "-She just...doesn't seem to be the greatest at Transfiguration...thats all-". 

"-Tell me then-", Rudolphus leaned forwards, "-What is she good at?-". 

Andromeda sat back away from him in a rather uncomfortable manner. "-I-Uh....Oh- Flying-", the girl stated, "-Molly can fly well-". 

Bellatrix crossed her legs, digging her knees into the sides of both Lestrange boths. "-Have you seen her fly?-". 

"-Well- More so hover-", replied Andromeda, realising that she hadn't actually properly seen Molly fly. But judging from her brothers, she was most likely excellent.

"-I'm surprised that the Bloody thing got off of the ground with her fat arse on it-", remarked Rabastian. 

"-Hey- don't say that-", warned Andromeda. 

"-Or what?-", he growled back. 

"- _Lestrange_ -", hissed Bellatrix in a low tone, "-Watch your tongue when you are talking to a Black-". And the boy glared at her, muttering under his breath in a defeated manner. "-Anyhow- I believe we should talk of Today's agenda-", stated the girl, "-I think we should make ourselfs scarce and head to breakfast-". 

"-I second that-", Rudolphus agreed stiffly, poking his brothers shoulder, who still gave Bellatrix begrudging looks, "-Grumpy here agree's too-". 

"-What about you Andromeda?-", asked Bellatrix.

"-I....yeah-", she smiled, "-I'm quite hungry actually-". 

"-Great-", Black finished, standing- and the twins stood at the exact time as though robots, prompting Andromeda, who didn't want to look odd, to do the same. And the action made her sister simper, feeling, in that moment, a certain level of power over her . Yet it, quite adversley, started up a flurry of whispers about the room between the students of Slytherin house, who were surprised to see a new addition to the schools quite prominent 'Pureblood trio'. One who very much looked as though she were struggling to keep up when they began to weave their way through the tables and chairs, leaving the room in near silence with their shadowy presence. And they made their way up to the Great Hall, marching towards the entryway just as Molly came bounding towards them whilst humming. "-Hey!-", she then called, "-Andromeda!- I was looking for you-". 

"-Molly-", stopped Andromeda, smiling to the girl who smiled at her with her full cheeks . And the Lestrange twins paused, coming to glare at Prewett as Bellatrix rolled her eyes. 

"-Andromeda - come-", and with those two words, she continued on into the hall, not looking back.

Prewett gave Bellatrix a confused look, waiting for Andromeda to elaborate. "-Aren't we going to hang today?-". 

"-Um....-", Andromeda shook her head, "-I said I'd spend the day with my Sister...but...I-I'm sure i'll be able to see you tommorow-". Prewett's smile seemed to fade a little. "-But...um- i'm sure I cou-".

"-Its fine Andromeda- Go with your sister-", Molly took a quiet breath, "- and make sure you tell me all about it when I see you-". 

"-O-Of course-", replied Andromeda awkwardly, to which Molly continued her way into the hall, coming to sit down at the Gryffindoor table across from Arthur, frowning. And he looked up from his plate at her, not liking the expression on her usually very cheery face.

"-Whats the matter?-", he worried slightly, sitting up. 

Molly let his question linger for a moment, before sighing. "-I- I just assumed that me and Andromeda would spend the Saturday together again-", she stated honestly, not seeing any reason to lie to the boy, who now noticed the Black sisters and the Lestranges making their way over to the Slytherin bench. "-I don't know-", she smiled, "-I suppose I'll just have to find something to do with myself Today-". She tapped her hands on her thighs in thought.

Arthur pushed away his plate, clearing his throught whilst mustering up a little courage. "-Well...you could spend the day with m-me-", he offered, to which Molly seemed a little hesitant. 

"-But what would we do?-", she reached forwards towards a platter of fruit, taking off an Apple.

"-Oh-Um-", Arthur, who had not expected her to agree, thought quite hard about it, "-I suppose that we could- erm....Visit the Owlery?-". He'd been to the Owlery on a few occasions before, and he knew that some of the older students would sneak up to there and the Astronomy towers for some reason.

"-The Owlery?- Why on earth would we do that?-", Molly seemed entirely confused. 

"-B-Because of the Owls?-", chuckled Arthur, "-I don't know- Maybe we could go and play with them?-". 

Molly took a bite of the apple. "- They can be....cute?-". 

"-Yeah-", breathed Weasley, "-but they can be scary when their heads turn all the way around-". 

"-Oh yeah-", replied Molly, "-I don't really like them that much though....they are quite....weird-". 

"-Nothing wrong with weird I say-", replied Arthur jokingly , to which Molly smiled. 

"-Well theres two different types of weird in my opinion- and they are the bad type-". 

Weasley chuckled. "-Well if you don't want to go to the Owlery...we could.....play some board games up in the common room-". 

"-All day?-". 

"-I suppose so-", replied the Boy, "-or at least for some of it I suppose-". 

Molly raised a brow at him. "-I'm picking first though. 

He nodded. "-Of course-". Yet the look she gave him made him feel a little unsure. 

"-I am really competetive-", she explained further. 

"-Me too-".

"-Really?-". Arthur nodded. Yet he wasn't really competetive. Actually Arthur wasn't very competetive. He actually spent a lot of time trying to stay away from competition. But he was sure that he could handle playing a few games with Molly. He was sure that it would be quite fun. And as they had said, after Breakfast, Molly and Arthur headed up to the Gryffindoor common room, coming to a large chest that sat by the window to find a countless amount of games and things to do, all neatley packed away in their slightly dusty boxes which had spent the entire summer shrowded in darkness. It was certainly a heafty selection to choose from, . and so they began with a student favorite- Gobstones, in which they received fifteen small stones each, begining to roll them across a board to acheive a further distance than the other without going to far and missing the board entirely. Yet at one point, the slightly heavy handed Molly flung her final gobstone way to far, and was attacked by a fountain of foul smelling liquid , which riled up the well of competitiveness within the girl, aiding to her winning the next game, and the next, and the next- which lead to a switch of activities, which had no different of a result. Actually she never stopped winning until the Prewett twins arrived, looking around at the mess the pair of them had made. "-Bloody hell- how long have you two been up here?-". Molly placed looked away from the game of Wizards chess they were now playing, noticing that the sun had begun to set. 

"-A-All day-", she spoke in a shocked way, "-Wow - i really didn't notice-". 

"-Well you two better clean this up before the Prefects get back-", stated Fabian, coming closer to his sister. And his nose wrinkled up on its own, causing him to gag. "-What is that smell-". 

"-Gobstones liquid-", informed a tired looking Arthur. 

"-Well go bloody wash it off-", Fabian dragged Molly up from her chair, "-Now-". 

"-But i've nearly-". 

"-Go!-", the twins chimed, to which Molly grumbled, stomping up the steps to the dorm to get her wash things. 

"-She never wanted to stop-", breathed Arthur, glad to have finally finished. 

"-Yeah- word of Advice mate-", Gideon picked up one of the games boxes, "-Don't ever challenge Molly- she's relentless when she wants to be-". 

"-I-I noticed-", he responded, "-Everytime we finished she wanted to go again-". 

"-Just firmly tell her no-", replied the boy, looking for the game pieces. 

"-I-I couldn't-", droned Arthur, "-I did try-". It was true, Arthur had mentioned about them stopping...once. Yet the smile on Mollys face had meant that this suggestion had past his lips like a jumble of drunken slurring.

"-Wait-", Fabian stepped out of the way as Arthur stood, "-Why wasn't Molly with Andromeda?-". 

"-Oh- She's spending the day with her sister-", informed Arthur, coming to flop over the sofa so that he landed in a pile of Gobstones balls. And the twins looked to eachother with a frown. They had assumed, as Molly had , that the would be spending the day together. But apparently not so from the mess and half dead Arthur infront of them. Yet it wasn't as though Andromeda wasn't wishing, at that exact moment whilst being sat across from the Lestranges as they spoke badly of a third year girl, that she had spent the day with Molly. She'd been utterly bored, and, as usual when being around the Lestranges and Bellatrix, the almost...outsider of the lot of them. They'd done almost nothing for the entire day other than stroll around and complain about....well...everything. And, after a little while she decided to make her way upstairs to her room, frowning to herself as she went . 

She truthfully couldn't wait to see Molly again. 


	14. The Leaky Couldron

September 20th 1964

"-Molly!- Molly-". Prewett yelped in surprised as Andromeda appeared in front of her with a great grin on her face, huffing and puffing from the speed that she had darted down the corridoor. "-There you are!-". Her ribbon had fallen out of her hair, fluttering to the ground somewhere along the way, which meant that her curls sprouted out in all crazy directions, making her look quite like a mad witch. 

"-H-Hi-", she chuckled, surprised to see the girl so happy to see her- especially after their Monotone greeting the day before hand.

"-I didn't know where you were- and I looked in the Great Hall and everything- but you were nowhere-". Andromeda, unknown to Molly, had been searching around the school that entire morning for the girl, having left the dorm earlier than usual to avoid her sister. And it was quite strange that she wasn't in the Great Hall. "-Where have you been?-". 

"-I was up all night trying to wash Gobstones liquid out of my hair- and then I missed bloody breakfast, which I am fuming about-", she pulled some of it towards Andromeda, "-look- it's stained an' all- and its gone all stiff and terrible-". 

"-Where did you get Gobstones liquid from?-", she asked as they walked together, "-Your brothers prank you again?-". 

"-No-", she chuckled, "-They know better than to touch my hair again. I was actually playing Gobstones with Weasley-". 

"-Really?-", Andromeda asked . 

"-Yes Ma'm-", replied the girl, "-I think I tired him out a bit. He's still asleep you know-". 

"-Did you win?-", questioned Andromeda. 

"-Yep-", chuckled Molly, "-Almost every single game- I feel sorry for him-". She giggled. "-I feel like he started letting me win in the end-". 

"-Or maybe you just are better than him-", replied Andromeda. 

"-Thats proba-". Molly suddenly stumbled forwards, snapping around to glare at the cause of her fall, which turned out to be Jacey Brown and his Ravenclaw friends, who ran in the opposite direction upon spotting Black, initially believing her to be Bellatrix. "-O-Oh-", she settled her features, "-Jacey-". 

"-Sorry about that lovely-", he chuckled , "-You alright-". 

Her cheeks turned red at him calling her 'lovely'. "-I-Um-Yes- i'm fine actually-". 

"- I didn't see you there- honest-", he apologised, looking to Andromeda, "-Oh- Hello ....Bellatrix right?-". 

"-Andromeda-", she corrected in a slightly tired way , "-Bellatrix is my elder sister-". 

"-Ah- right-", he noded, ignoring the goey eyed look that Molly was giving him, "-Andromeda....isn't that a Galaxy or somethin'?-". 

"-Oh...yes actually-", she affirmed, surprised that he knew such a thing. 

"-They are well pretty....Galaxies I mean-", he abruptly stated, sounding quite odd indeed. 

"-Right-", Andromeda looked him up and down. He surely had a strange way of making conversation. 

"-Hey- I kn-". 

"-Well-", he cut Molly off, "-I better be going now-". And the boy span around, rushing off in the same direction that his friends had gone as fast as he had appeared, laughing once colliding with them at the other end of the hall. 

"-How rude-", Andromeda shook her head, "-He shouldn't cut you off like that-". 

"-Its fine-", spoke Molly a little dreamily. 

"-No-It isn't-", replied Andromeda. 

"-Well-", Prewett then linked arms with the girl, "-I say it is-". And she continued her way down the corridoor. "-I have two brothers- I'm used to people talking over me....I can excuse Brown and his....pretty curls-". 

"-Pretty curls?-", chuckled Andromeda. 

"-Yes- they are quite pretty-", she responded, "-But so are yours too-". 

"-Really?-". 

"-Yes-", smiled Molly truthfully, "-I wish I had curls like yours-". 

"-You don't when you're trying to put them up in a ribbon-". 

"-Why not use a hairband?-", offered Molly. 

"-A what-". She watched as her friend pulled up her sleeve, removing a black band from around her wrist, handing it over Andromeda. "-What do you do with this?-". 

"-This-", Molly took another from her wrist, showing Andromeda how to tie up her hair, and Black attempted it, resulting in quite the knotted mess. "-Let me do it for you-". 

"-Oh- Um...-", Andromeda turned, allowing Molly to tie up her hair easily, "-Thank you...". 

"-You are very welcome-", returned Prewett, pausing. And her stomach grumbled loudly, which made both girl laugh. "-Blimey- I thought a lion just entered the hallway-". 

"-That was very loud-". Andromeda looked at herself in the reflection of some glass, liking the way that Molly had tied her hair. It sat, insead of drooping downwards in her ribbon, high up, allowing her face shape and features to be far clearer than usual. 

"-I think we should go get some Lunch before my stomach eats itself-", Molly spoke, spotting Andromeda looking at herself, "-Oh come on Black-". She shoved her playfully, which Andromeda found to be quite a strange thing. "-You can gander at yourself in the back of a spoon or something-".

//////

The Leaky Couldron was bustling full of witches and Wizards all dressed in every manner of magical garment ,which were quite evenly speckled with stale ale that only made the stench of the air grow. And thick clouds of smoke filled the space from old pipes as the patrions laughed and made merry to the sounds of an old grammar phone. It was a good night to be in the Tavern, that was to be said. The place was so crowded that a person could find themselves easily consealed- not to mention the fact that it was dark too. And by the back of the room resided a man, hidden beneath the tattered hood of his cloak that hung just above a set of dark brows and watchful eyes, as he stared into his drink whilst it swirled and danced, every so often glancing to the bustle of people . He'd been sat there solemnly all evening, brooding in the silent dampness. Well, that was until the seat across from him shifted, with a man, as equally hooded, placing himself down into it. However this fellow patrion was very clearly covered in scars , with one grand one lining his left eye which searched the expression of his new companion. "-You look angry-", He spoke with a calm, weighty voice.

"-Of course-", growled the scarred man, taking a swig of the drink helding in his sharp nailed grasp - And he smirked to himself sarcastically . "-Lyal _fucking_ Lupin-".

"-I've heard that name before-", the other hooded man stated, sitting up, "-He's the cultivator behind 'The werewolf restriction act'-". He tapped his fingers on the table, reading the mans response. "-I would dare to say that you, yourself, are a werewolf from your sudden silence....Fenrir Greyback-".

He scoffed, quickly coming to realise that the man was not just some random, lonely , drunkard tavern dweller- but that he knew more of the world than it would at first seem. "-So...you know my name-".

"-How could I not?-", he responded in praising way, "-Some may know you as the most powerful werewolf there is-". 

Fenrir settled back into his seat, cocking a dark brow. "-What do you mean?-", he spoke with a false tone, "-I am but a humble....poor....wizard....clinging onto what little Galleons I have left on my person....". 

The hooded man shook his head."-We both know that what you have said is not true....You are Fenrir Greyback....a man of change...and action...One who is just going to silently accept being insulted?-". He placed both hands about his mug of drink. "-You see- thats the problem with Wizards and Witches today...they are so willing to settle for the _misfortune_ they have been dealt...so ready to give in-".

"-What do you suppose I should do?-", replied Greyback in a scornful way, "-that man cannot be touched thanks to his rank within the Ministry....And even If I allowed stupidity to get the better of me and went after him, he is skilled with a wand- which is not something I currently posses-".

"-Well-", he spoke breathily, "-I often find that fearing one's rankgets you nowhere....that you must take action....and to do so...I doubt a wand would be required-".

It felt as though the man was mocking Fenrir. Taunting him. He hated it. "-And you know much about that?-", he asked, "-'Taking action'-".

"-Of course-". The man shifted in his seat, sitting in a manner that provided a clearer view of his face, "-I'm in the process of taking action. Grabbing onto the reigns of this society-or doing my part to play in the manner-".

"-Are you now?-", scoffed Fenrir.

"-Yes-", he returned, bringing back his hood to reveal a head of dark hair and pale eyes, "-I want to help change the wizarding world in the favor of ...the greater-".

"-You and what army-", he took another swig of his drink.

"-Precisely-".

Greyback eyed him, now a little curious of his intentions. He could smell deciet and a shifty nature all over him, like an old perfume . "-What did you say your name was again?-".

"-I didn't-", he stated simply , "-But you may know the name of my...employer . A name that will one day strike fear into the hearts of Mudbloods and Muggleborns alike. A name that will usher in a new order. A new Wizarding world....". The man leaned towards Fenrir with all of the grandeur in the world. "-Voldemort-".

"-You practice that line often?-", heckled Fenrir, grunting as he went to take another sip of his drink, finding that it was almost empty. So the man brought the wand from his sleeve, tapping it to the glass so that it filled again. "-Thanks-".

He then sat back, watching the man drink. "-Tell me....did you go to Hogwarts by any chance?-". Fenrir glared at him over the rim of his glass. "-No?-".

"-You seem to know a bit about me-", he stated, "-You'd already know that I wasn't permitted-".

The man provided him with a pitiful look. "-Ah......well that seems entirely disjointed to me...they allow those born of Muggles in...yet not those actually born of wizards and witches....". He allowed the words to linger for a moment, staring intensly at Fenrir, who then smirked.

"-I know who you are now- I've heard of your lot- ", he snarked, "- running around for your little master-".

"-If anyone would know about being a master it would be the head of the Werewolf Army- would it not?-", he returned, "-The one with a mission- one so similar to ours that we...consistently seem to come face to face-".

Fenrir tapped his nails on the table. "-We are not so much an army as we are a brigade of 'lost dogs'...-", he then glared at the man, "-But that doesn't mean that we are desperate to join you and your master's cause- we are fine alone. I'd rather not be his lapdog....plus the title 'Death Eater' doesn't suit me much.....and there is only....what..... a handful of your lot running about, hissing your idealims into the ears of others.....-". He pushed up from his chair. "-Thank you for the drink, but my mind remains, I am glad to say, unchanged...".

"-He offers you information....for your aid-".

Fenrir paused. "-What information?-".

The man sneered. "-The location of Lyal Lupin's home-".

Greyback considered it for a moment, turning back to the man. "- I already told you- There would be no good in me targeting him alone and Wandless.....It's better If I stay away from the chance of being thrown in Azkaban alongside my....luckier brothers and sisters...-".

"-Well....maybe don't target him- no?-". The man offered, raiding . "-He has a son...And if you agree to help us in our cause...you may have the boy for your ranks.....". Fenrir thought upon it. "- Oh how Ironic it would be for the son of a man who _hates_ werewolves so to have a son that is one himself. Its almost comical-". The man eyed him, liking the idea quite a lot. It truly would have been comical. But did not want to go against his proir convictions. 

"-hmmm- ", he folded his arms, "-tell me where I can find him- and you have yourself a deal- but I'm not going to be one of your little tattooed poodles- I'm still my own man-".

"-Of course-", he nodded slowly, "-I'll make sure to state that to Voldemort himself-". 


	15. Match to a needle

September 22nd, 1964

"-Right-". The First year Students all stood attentively behind their cleared desks in Transfiguration, looking down to the wooden surfaces where two matches each sat, carefully placed a safe distance away from eachother as Minerva instructed them all , keeping a noticably close keen eye on Prewett. The woman had learned from the year proir that it was never quite a good idea to leave a Prewett with a flammible object- And she had already had to stop around three students from lifting the match from their desks, providing them with a short glare at each time. The last thing she needed was for the entire classroom to set on fire and have to send a handful of scorched students to Madame Pomfrey . Now that would be very, very annoying- especially seeing as only that morning the woman had expressed to her how little she'd seen any students so far compared to the year before hand. "-Today, Students, we will be learning how to turn a match, into a needle with the incantation , _' Venio Acus'_ -". Molly balanced her wand on the back of her palm, trying to keep it steady whilst providing a cheeky smile to black, who shook her head as it started to spin in an unbalanced manner. And she began to blow it, watching as it started to spin like the blades of a fan. 

"-Your going to drop it-", whispered Andromeda, nudging her match a little further away from Mollys just for safety reasons. 

"-No I wont-", smirked Molly, "-If I can spin a spoon on the back of my hand- I can spin a wand-". 

"-You can spin a spoon on the back of your hand?-". Prewett nodded. "-How did you learn that?-". 

"-Got bored when making cakes-", she replied, to which Andromeda seemed a little surprised, "-have you never made a cake before?-". 

"-Well, no - I-". 

"-Miss Prewett!- please remember that your wand is not a 'play thing', but a powerful magical instrument that can be-". Molly fumbled it onto her desk, having to scramble to the object before it fell over the other side. "-Easily broken...-". Andromeda chuckled at her friends semi-startled expression , finding it quite amusing. 

"-Don't sneer at me-", Molly prodded her with the back of her wand. 

"-Anyhow-", Minerva sighed, "-This lesson is here to strictly test your practical abilities with a wand- there is no competition . I am aware that you have already had some Charms lessons, but you will, over your time here at Hogwarts, come to find that Charms and Transfiguration can be quite different in some forms, which is why it is important that all of you behave during this lesson. One wrong flick of a wand or accidental, misspoken incantation, and it could spell disaster- I had a students last year who managed to knock all of the instruments about the room from the shelves-and it was safe to say that Mr Pringle was less than happy whilst cleaning up that specific mess-".

"-Well she isn't half blunt-", stated Molly, as Andromeda took her wand from her pocket, then coming to glance around the room for a moment, "-You know...its interesting-".

"-What is-", wondered Andromeda, having been listening a little intently, excited to do something practical- as most of the other students were .

"-How everyone has a different wand- look-", she pointed to the front of the room , where there was a Ravenclaw who had a pale, swirled wand, "-See her- pale wand- swirly decoration- but the boy next to hers got like an auburn wand- its cool- sort of like it is our personalities-". The girl then pointed across the room to Emmeline Vance, who, in that moment, Andromeda couldn't notice how timid she seemed.

"-I suppose so-", chuckled Black, looking to Molly's wand , which was a plain brown colour that seemed darker around the handle and lighter at the tip with little decoration. It looked homemade and quite homely too. That seemed quite like Molly at a first glance- and Andromeda glanced to her own wand, which balanced in her grasp, looking at its light length and hint of sparkles that decorated its entire body and flower bud like end. It was earthy with hints of elegance, thats how she could describe it- and she liked it that way very much. It was far prettier than Bellatrix's plain, almost black wand. She recalled her seemingly being quite envious of it. "-Don't 'wands choose their witch'-", she questioned , to which Molly shrugged. She could recall her trip to Ollivanders, when the man had muttered something along those specific lines. Yet it had been so long since she had been there that she could barely remember anything that had occurred.

"-Now-", smiled Minerva, holding her wand infront of her , "-You all will flick your wand, once up, twice down, and say : ' _Venio Acus'_ \- in a clear, distinct voice. And after that, hopefully, we should have some fully formed Needles scattered around the classroom - and no- you may not keep them- the day I allow first years to run around with needles is the day that I hang up my teaching robes-".

"-So soon then-", stated Molly in a low tone, amusing herself with the comment more than Andromeda, "-How old do you recon she is?-".

Andromeda looked the woman up and down. She didn't seem very old. She cleary had brown hair that was slightly curly and a little amount of wrinkles, except for by the corner of her eyes, which was odd for someone who appeared as though she barely smiled enough to gain them. "-Thirty?-".

"-Thats generous-", chuckled Molly, "-But then again....I was going to say mid-fourties...and she looks a bit young for that- my dads in his fourtees and he lookes like a pile of bones-".

"-Thats not nice-", tittered Andromeda, thinking about her own parents. Druella had always looked quite young to her. She had a round face, and full cheeks with no wrinkles. Yet she did wear a heavy amount of powder and other forms of dark makeup that did well to hide her age. And her father looked older than her Uncle Alphard, despite him being younger than him- Yet she'd heard her mother once remark that he looked so aged due to how much he enjoyed the 'Dementor Drink'. "-I don't actually know how old my parents are?- maybe fi-".

"-Miss Prewett- Miss Black?-". The two girls looked to Minerva, who placed her hands on her hips. "-Please cast at your matches-". They then proceeded to glance around the room where students were already flicking at their Matches, grumbling when the spells did not immediately work .

"-Oh- Right-", Molly lifted her wand, wrinkling her brows in thought, "- _Veni_.... _ven_....what was the spell?-". She had been barely listening to the lesson at all.

So Andromeda raised her wand, making the correct motion. "- _Venio Acus_ -", she spoke- and before their eyes the match turned immediately into a strong needle, glistening and glinting a bit in its perfection.

"-B-Brilliant work Miss Black-", Minerva stepped from her perch at the front of the classroom to the girls desk, taking up the needle to examine it whilst seeming as though she did not want to be giving such high praise to the girl , "-This is the best one I have seen for a very long time-". Molly nudged her. "- I can safely say that I am....very.... impressed...It seems that you do not only have the Apt for the transfiguration Alphabet-".

"-Oh- I...Thank you-", she smiled sweetly, to which the Professor bobbed her head once, then turning to the rest of her class.

"-Miss Black has managed to perfectly transfigure a match to a needle- this is what I expect some of you to acheive by the end of this lesson -". The students gave the girl a quiet, slightly resentful clap. "-Two points to Slytherin Miss Black-". She took the needle, slipping it into her pocket. "-Seeing as you finished so quickly I would like you to help Miss Prewett-".

"-No- I don't need help -", she chuckled, whacking her wand, "-Verna-o Ac-iu-s". Yet instead of Transfiguring the Match, a small spark of light jumped out from the top of her wand, slapping the hat off of the Professors head so that it Pitifully flapped to the ground. "-OOps-". And Some of the womans hair fell out to cover her face as she cocked her brow in an annoyed manner . "-Sorry Professor-".

"-Next time- Miss Prewett-", she crouched down, picking back up her hat, "- Aim for the match-".

"-Yes Professor-", she nodded as the woman turned away, "-Bloody hell- did you see her hair-". Andromeda nodded. "-Maybe you are right about her being thirty- Ive never seen such shiny hair- Well-", Molly looked her friend up and down, "-Well maybe except for yours-". 

"-Thank you-", returned Andromeda. 

"-What do you put in it?-". 

"-A potion-", replied the girl, "-Mother makes it by the barrel-".

//////

"- Venius Acus- Ven-t-ius Acus-", Molly made the motions with her wand towards an Apple as Andromeda politely nibbled at her sandwhich, still on a slight little buzz from having been praised. And Arthur watched the Prewett with a concerned look, leaning towards Andromeda after a moment.

"-She does know that the spell doesn't work on fruit- right?-", he wondered.

"-I think so-", chuckled Andromeda, "-Molly- its okay- You didn't need to get it first time-".

"-But everyone at least got nearly all of the match Transfigured- Mine just ended up with a pointy tip- which is not what I was going for in the slightest-", she sighed, "-Maybe i'm just not meant for Transfiguration- like Ted-".

Andromeda raised her brow at this information. "-Is Ted not good at Transfiguration?-".

"-Well-", she explained with a smirk , "-He can do the spells, but he never does any of the writing or things- and thats like fourty percent of your grade- Plus last time we saw him try and read a spell from paper he nearly blew his hair off-". Molly then glanced to the door. "-Speak of the devil-", she stood, "-Oi Tonks- ya' haven't got a match with you by any chance?-".

"-Yeah-", he returned, shoving Fabian and Gideon as they came to sit down at the table- and he reached into his pocket, taking out a match from a box of them.

"-Why do you have matches?-", wondered Andromeda, to which he glared up at her from beneath his eyebrows.

"-I like to set fire to classrooms and nosey little princesses -", he joked. Yet her face stated that she had taken him seriously. "-Not really , you spanner-".

Molly placed the match down on the table. "- _Venius Acus_ -", she cast, and they watched as the match half turned into a needle, "-Bloody hell- what am I doing wrong ?-".

"-Maybe its because you look like you are trying to beat the air to death- I remember old McGonagall going off at me like that-", the boy chuckled, "-Here-". He wrapped his hand around Mollys in a rather tender way , which made Andromeda both confused and slightly discomforted . "-Once up- and twice down- but slower- see-".

"-Ohhhhhh-", he released her hand after a moment, and she tried again, this time being more successful as almost all of the match turned into a needle, "-Thank you Ted-".

"-Don't worry about it my lovely-", he smiled, immediately coming to frown as he noticed Andromeda staring at the pair of them, "-What?-".

"-Oh- I...I was just watching-", she snapped her head down to her sandwhich.

"-Don't you know its rude to stare-", returned the boy with a scowl. 

"-Like you care about that-", Molly slapped his stomach with the back of her hand, "-You spend plenty of time staring at people-". 

"-Like that Seventh year who left last year-", chuckled Fabian. 

"-June-". 

"-Thats the one-", replied Prewett. 

"-I didn't stare at her -". 

"-Yes you do-", chuckled Fabian, "-All goey and melty looking you are when she's about-". 

"-Is she very Pretty?-", questioned Andromeda further. 

"-Not as pretty as you-", replied Fabian with a charming smile, "-Thats what i'm sure Gideon would say seeing as he thinks your sister isn't too bad looking-". 

"-Shove off-", chuckled the boy.

"-I didn't think she was pretty-", returned Ted, "-I saw the older boys looking- and I looked as well- I'm a curios lad-". 

"-What you are is innapropriate-". 

"-What?-", Andromeda seemd confused by the term, being completely ignored as the others laughed, "-A short skirt is highly innapropriate....". And their laughter settled to a divided silence. 

"-Jesus-", Ted looked her up and down, "-What are you, ninety-five?-". 

"-Well its only what my mother says-", she returned. 

"-I'm sure-", snarked Ted.

A look of realisation then came over Prewetts face. "-I just remembered-", stated Fabian abruptly, "-Didn't we have that-". He elbowed Gideon. "- _Thing_ to do?-".

"-Huh-", grunted the other boy, already stuffing his face.

"-The _thing_ -", the first boy glared, cocking his head towards the door to the hall. And it took Gideon a few moments before a look of recognition came over his previously blank face.

"-Ohhh-", he smirked, glancing to Molly who looked between the pair of them in a judgemental manner, "-That thing-". Both boys stood at the same time. "-Excuse us Ladies- and Tonks-".

"-What?-", Ted almost squeaked, "-You two aren't leaving me here-".

"-We have something to do-", argued Fabian, giving him a short glare, "- We'll be back in a minuet- surely you can survive for that long- no?-".

"-I-", he sighed, knowing why they were going , "-Fine- but hurry up-". The boys nodded quickly, running from the hall whilst bouncing off of eachother- and once they were out of earshot, Molly placed her hand on Teds shoulder. "-I am not telling you-", he spoke quickly.

"-Oh come on-", she whined, "-You know you wanna tell me- don't you love me Ted-".

"-No-", he smirked, "-though you do have a 'quacking' personality-".

Arthur giggled. "-I like that one-".

"-Its good innit-", chuckled Ted.

"-No-", replied Molly, bouncing a little in her seat, "-Oh Ted - you know I hate secrets-".

"-Only because your shit at keeping them-", he responded, "-Did you know that I told her a secret about a year ago, and two days later the twins knew about it-".

"-No-", responded Andromeda, to which Ted cocked his brow.

"-I was talking to _Arthur_ -", responded the boy.

"-Oh-", her cheeks turned a little red, "-Sorry-".

Ted inspected her for a moment, before sitting up straight. "- You are bloody weird aren't you-".

"-I-I beg your pardon?-", responded Andromeda.

"-Ted-", warned Molly, slightly worried for what could have slipped out of his mouth- And Arthur quickly filled his own gob with food in a nervous way.

"- I mean- Your so....'eh'-".

"-'Eh'-?-", echoed Andromeda.

"-Like.....What are your motives in befriending our sweet Molly-", He narrowed his eyes, "-You're a Black- and the sister to the spawn of satan- and you look bloody like her too- yet around Molly your all, 'look at meek little me'-". Prewett rolled her eyes. 

"-My sister is not the 'spawn of satan'-", she argued firmly, "-And what do you mean 'around Molly'-".

"-Well-", he raised his voice, "-I expect that around the rest of _your lot_ that you are just as much of a bitch as Bellatrix is-".

"-Edward!-".

"-Don't. call. me. that-", Ted snapped at Prewett, who seemed completely unphased by it.

"-I'll have you know-", returned Andromeda, in a surprisingly defensive manner, "-That my sister is not a- a-....what you said- and that I am no different around Molly than I am around my family or anyone else on the face of the planet- I'm not one for false faces-".

"-Bull. Shit-", he returned. 

"-Edward Tonks-", Ted snapped his head to the girl, flairing his nostrils, "-Stop it-". 

"-Stop what?-". 

"-Being an idiot-", she warned, "-Zip it- I'm serious about sending a letter to your dad-". Ted slumped down into his seat, folding his arms. 


	16. The 'Half-hitler'

September 23rd, 1964

"-Well, Well, well -". Druella spun around to the doorway of Alphards bedroom, spotting the man stood their with a strange glare in his eyes as he spun his wand about within his fingers. He'd finally caught her entirely in the act- and by Merlin, she looked gultier than an creature on earth , attempting to hide it with a stern, modest look. "-Your certain lack for the aspects of personal space makes you fit in extremely well with this family-". The woman stood, slowly closing the lid of the chest she had opened in a delicate manner. "-Whatever could you be looking for....my dearest sister in law-", Alphard asked, knowing the answer. The woman would have been blind as to not notice the owls that had, a few times, swooped letters down into his grasp. Letters which always brought small, admiring, smiles onto his face. 

"-Nothing-", she replied carefully, "-I just.... ran out of ink- And I could not be bothered to send a house elf to fetch me some or retrieve it for myself- so- here we are-". She brushed back her hair with her palm as Alphard raised his eyebrow in a judgememtal manner. "-What?-". 

"-Your lying skills are less than admirable.....I suppose thats why I never have seen you lie to my brother as Walburga avidly does to Orion- the sod-", he took a step inside, "-Why are you really searching through my room so avidly-". She looked away for a moment. "-I assure you- I have nothing to hide-". 

"-Nothing to hide-", she then scoffed, "-Oh I know you Alphard-". The woman raised her finger. "-You always have something to hide-". She followed him with the tip as he made his way across the room, coming to sit down on the shawl of his bed. "-You've always been this way- Your sister said so-". 

"-My sister has a lot to say about me-", he snarked back, "-Yet little evidence to back up her handful of claims. Her tongues as sharp as her interest in gossip ....Merlin -one could say that if she were not so....devoted to this family that she would have made quite the little journalist of herself -". The man folded his legs. "-I assure you that anything she has told you....is only in the interests of getting you to mistrust me-". 

"-You do that well enough yourself-", she hissed. 

"-How so?-". 

"-How so?-". Druella laughed. "-Well- let me begin then-". She took a moment to think, arranging her many complaints of the man. "-You've placed my daughter on the wrong end of the Hogwarts Express - thats one reason?-". 

"-We were late- it was quick thinking-", he muttered quickly as she continued to speak. 

"-And you are constantly encouraging dueling between two young girls who are at an age that they need to learn to become women-".

Alphard wrinkled his nose at the notion. "-They are still children- and what children do most is play-". 

"-Not to mention the amount of time that you have spent with Andromeda since you have arrived back from your 'travelling'-", she glared at him, "-I'm sure that you don't have a wise comeback for that one-". At the mention of Andromeda he seemed to become a little less confident, fixing himself. 

"-Its only natural that I have grown a liking to her-", her replied , cautious of his words , "-As a man with no children of my own, delighting in the charm of a bright , strong child is not surprising for someone in my position-". 

She did not seem to believe him in the slightest . "-Strong is not the word that I would use for Andromeda- stupid?- yes-". 

"-I cannot see how she is stupid-", defended the man . 

"-Well....she is too Naive- too trusting- too easily influenced-", explained Druella, "- And her head is so often up in the clouds- and you remember how she was as a babe. Without Bellatrix she would still be spending most of her time sat alone in a library with only the dust as friends-". The woman folded her arms. "-And I cannot recall the last time I have properly conversed with her- but she always speaks with that soft tone that makes her sound like a mouse at times . She'll get nowhere conversing in such a way around her family, let alone other members of this society. And you remember what she was like at the Winter Ball last year. She spent the entire time in the corner staring around-". 

"-You underestimate her-", he wrinkled his nose, "-and it is ironic that you call her too easily influenced when you are the one searching through my belongings-". Alphard looked her up and down. "-And Andromeda is anything but stupid, or meek, or terrible at conversation- and what you hear is not the voice of a mouse- but the voice of kindness. I am sure that, as her mother, you should pay her enough attention to recognise that-". 

"-I do pay her attention-", Druella placed her hands on her hips, "- which I increasingly am concerned for her-". 

"-Which brings us to the reason why you were snooping-", he accused, to which she fell silent, "-You are not concerned for her. Let us get that right.....". Alphard sighed. "-.... You are concerned about me....and if I am not correct, you were looking for evidence to solidify the ideas in your head. Reasons to mistrust me more other than common 'instinct' and the hissings of a woman that already looks down on you enough as it is. Reasons even....to have me outed from this house...-". The latter point seemed to dismay the man the most. 

"-So what If I am-", the woman admitted, "-I have solid reason to believe that you are trying to drive my daughter down a dark path-". 

"-I would never dream of it-". He folded his hands firmly, a little angered. 

"-You say that- But I know y-".

"-You continue to say that?-", he cut her off, "-But do you actually know me...or know only the rumours of me?-". 

"-You'd have to be more specific?-", she returned, feeling as though he were attempting to direct their conversation around in circles . 

"-That I have travelled to get away from this family ....or that....I find myself more comfortable around Muggles...or that I even... _.had_ a Muggle at one point out of Wedlock or any promise of such-". He gave her a severe look. "-These are untrue....roumors spurred from a rebellious youth that I have left behind.... I care for my family more than fleeting interests of the past...and especially for your daughter-". Druella's features seemed to soften. "-You say that I am trying to drive her down a dark path....well I say that I am attempting to show her all of the potential she has within herself to be a great Witch- and a greater Black than all of us-". He growled as he spoke, as though a tiger ready to pounce. "-Is that not what you want?- Not what this family wants-". 

There was silence for a moment, until the woman dared to speak again. "-And what of the ...the veiwpoint....the night before she left....the story you told her?...and what you said afterwards to me....as I recall, you insulted me and stated the difference of my daughter from the rest of her family-". 

"-Because she is different....she is greater...greater in the... _.greatest_ of ways-", he explained, "-And I thought you would have heard of the tale of the crows before- it was a story that my father told me-". 

"-Really-", she replied, "-Then by all means- speak it-". 

Alphard laughed quietly. "-Fine-", the man then cleared his throat, "-There once were three crows....three crows all the same. They were perfect in every way, from their feathers, to their dark eyes. And they never left eachothers sides, no matter what forces played upon them...which came in 'handy' one day, when a mangy piegon attempted to draw the youngest brother into a trap-". Druella seemed entirely disinterested. "-....What is the matter .... not the story you wanted to hear?-", he mocked. And with that she turned, storming from the room in a ball of defeat.

///////

Professor Fuzzywizz smiled uneasly at the first years from the front of the Dark Arts classroom as they whispered and laughed, with many pointing out his new and unfortunate line through what had once been a grey moustache, clearly having been made by the slip of the wrist from a shaving incident. And he had tried to hide it by colouring in the naked skin with watered down ink, which had not been very effective, and instead made him appear as though he had rubbed dirt around his mouth. "-Right class- settle down-". He took his sleeve to his mouth, wiping at his ink which made the missing beard more prominent.

Molly couldn't help but continue to laugh. "-Like a naked cat he is-", she remarked, making Andromeda laugh.

"-It is rather unfortunate- and he tried to cover it too-", she responded.

"-I would have just rocked with the half moustache- I'd call it the half-hitler-". Her friend seemed to be confused by the reference. "-Please tell me that you know who Hitler is-".

"-Um.....No?-", she responded as Fuzzywizz opened his textbook.

"-Hitler-", exclaimed Molly, "-The German man who literally caused the war-". 

"-What war?-", replied Andromeda obliviously, to which Molly seemed completely shocked.

"-Today-". His voice broke as he spoke, making the hushed giggling from around the room grow. "- we are going to be learning about Vampires-", he stated, rather mortified , "-yet before we can begin- can anyone tell me if they know anything about V-Vampires-". Jacey raised his hand from across the classroom, immediately capturing Mollys attention as he flipped his curls, smiling at the Professor with a pearly white set of teeth. And she melted into her seat at the sight of him. "-Yes Mr Brown?-".

"-I was going to say that they are known commonly to bite peoples necks- to suck their blood- like a Mosquito-", he stated, "-And that Muggles enjoy dressing up like them at Haloween- which is - I must say- entirely odd-".

It was an odd thing to imagine. Hoards of Muggles dressed up as terrifying vampires. "-Why do Muggles dress up at Halloween?-", wondered Andromeda to Molly, sure that she would know.

"-Oh- well they do it because....well, actually I don't have a clue-", the girl chuckled, "-You may have to ask Ted that- he's the Muggleborn-".

"-Well that will go grandly-", Andromeda stated sarcastically.

"-Very good Mr Brown-", praised Fuzzywizz as excitedly as he could, "-Now- If you would all turn to page six....seven...-". He opened his textbook, flicking through it until he found a specific page that he had marked with a bit of scrap paper. "-Seventy four- thats the one-". The students then all proceeded to open their books, finding page Seventy-four.

"-Oh Godric- these are worse than the Hags-", Molly held up her book, inspecting the drawing more clearly, "-Blimey-".

"-They have very long teeth-", stated Andromeda, tracing the drawing with her nail, "-like daggers-".

"-Imagine those going into your neck-". She used her fingers to act out a scene of some vampirish teeth sinking into the neck of an unsuspecting maiden. Yet she froze upon hearing some unfamilliar, kindred laughter, feeling her face flush. And both girls looked to Brown, who gave them a wave. "-Oh Godric I was just pulling the most appauling face- Kill me now Black- Kill me now-".

"-What?- No-", Andromeda chuckled, not seeing why she was so bothered.

"-Yes-", she hissed embarrisedly, "-Stab me in the heart with that pretty quill- do it". The girl closed her eyes, opening out her arms. And Andromeda then smirked deviously, picking up her quill, instead flicking some ink onto Mollys lip so that half of it was covered in Black ink. "-Hey!?-", Prewett exclaimed as Andromeda laughed, "-I said stab me- not turn me into a dalmation-". She rubbed at her lip. "-Is it coming off-".

"-....um...No-".

"-What?!-", She took to furiously rubbing at her lip with her sleeve until the skin turned red, "-Now- is it gone-". Andromeda bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh . "-It hasn't- has it?-".

"-No-", breathed Andromeda again, "-Its definately still there-".

"-Ugggh- Its your bloody stupidly expensive ink-", she complained, setting to rubbing at it again, "-The cheap stuff I use comes off easy- bit of spit wipes it away-".

"-Well...-", Andromeda glanced up to the Professor, her cheeks hurting, "-You did say that if you looked like Fuzzywig does now that you would just 'rock it'-". Yet, to the girls reaction, she could not contain her amusement. "-What was it....oh 'the Half-Hitler'-".

"-Its not funny-", she glared at her, picking up her own quill to flick a wealthy amount of ink so that it covered the entirety of her face like giant freckles, "-Thats better-".

"-Molly!?-", Andromeda shrieked, taking her entire pot to throw it over the girl , who panicked, tumbling off of her seat to get away from it with a great thud, "-OH NO- I'M SORRY!-".

"-I'm fine-", called Prewett from the floor.


	17. A-V-I-F-O-R-S

"-Mr Tonks-", spoke Minerva, as Ted, Fabian and Gideon stood from their seats, still laughing from Fabian's constant reference of the Professor as 'Gidy's Wife'. At first it had been quite annoying, but after receiving a confused look from an overhearing classmate, they couldn't help but burst into hysterics without a clear end in sight. It was the end of the Second years Transfiguration class, and Minerva had decided to keep a particularly close eye on Ted, noticing that he did not bring his quill to his paper once during the entirety of the lengthy session- not even to write the date. And so, she decided that it was time they spoke . It wasn't surprising that he hadn't written anything, but towards the end of his first year he'd at least been writing a scentance and a half at the most, even if it didn't make sense. Yet this year he seemed to not be trying at all, spending a good portion of his time staring at the sky out of the window as though his end of year grades were just going to be handed to him. "-Wait there-". The Prewett boys paused at the same times as Ted, not eager to leave him behind- And when Minerva called one of them, the other two usually had a part to do in whatever she wanted that specific student for . "-Well - I am sure that there aren't three Mr Tonk's in my class- off you two boys go?-".

"-But what did Ted do, Professor?-", worried Fabian, looking to his friend who shrugged.

"-Outside-now-", she stated sternly, to which the boys provided Tonks with a pitiful frown, before leaving the room, whispering to eachother, "-Honestly those boys-".

Ted frowned to the woman, standing uneasily. And in the back of his mind he had a very vivid idea of why she wanted to speak with him so suddenly. "-Professor....why are you keeping me behind?-".

"-Actually-", she re-iterated, "-You are keeping _yourself_ 'behind' young man-".

"-What?-". He watched as she leaned to his desk, taking up his book into her hands, before proceeding to turn it to him- And she cocked her brow, flipping through the pages. "-Professor....I-". He'd suddenly realised, due to the amount of the book she flipepd through , how much work the had neglected doing. It was far more than he had beleived.

"-Mr Tonks- We already had this conversation last year-", Minerva cut him off, "- You were staring to do well...and then you are back to square one again. Your practical level in this class is so high.... I don't want your literary level bringing you down. You have to start trying-".

"-I do try-", he argued, "-Really Professor....-". Mcgonagall frowned, wanting to beleive him. "-I'm not lying-".

"-Then are you telling me that you are struggling?-", she questioned, leaning into the desk, "-If you are then I will do everything in my power to help you -". Minerva folded her hands to her lap. "-Or perhaps you would like someone around your own age to help you?-".

"-Who- Fabs and Gids?-", Laughed Ted, "-No thank you Professor- I'd rather not feel like a fool for the rest of my life-".

"-Mr Tonks this is no laughing matter-", she responded firmly, "-You are almost thirteen and your literary skill, from what I have seen, matches that of a child half your age.....and- not to make you feel any less intelligent...I know that it is not because you are talkative in your classes as Fabian and Gideon both have average Transfiguration grades for their age-". Ted sank back down into his seat. "-You have three years until your O.W.L.s, and those three years, I can promise you, will fly by. You have to start getting your head down now so your not overloading yourself in a few years time-".

"-Minerva- I-I mean Miss....Madame....Professor McGonagall-". Ted and Minerva looked to the door where Fuzzywizz hovered behind a very ashamed Andromeda and chuckling Molly, with both of them being entirely covered in sploches of ink. They looked like they had been in some kind of brutal battle between two armies of squids, and Tonks snorted at them as he brought the duo further into the classroom whilst they hung their heads- one less shamefully than the other . "-I-I have these two students-".

"-By Godrics name- What happened to you two?-", she wondered, giving them a proper look over, "-Is that ink?-". The girls nodded. "-Did you _throw_ the ink at eachother?-".

"-Yes-", spoke Andromeda solemly.

"-You look like a right idiot-", remarked Tonks, smirking.

"-Thank you for that observation Mr Tonks- though I would prefer if you did not use that language-", she smiled to Fuzzywizz, who didn't much look like he knew what to do with himself. He just bounced on the spot, looking about at the quite foreign space. "-I have them from here Professor-".

"-O-Oh-", he bowed his head to her, "-Right- um- Bye- I...I'll just leave-". The man turned quite red, hastily making his way from the classroom as Minerva placed her hands on her hips.

"-Well look here- A Gryffindoor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff- I almost have a full selection-", she opened her palm to the seats infront of Ted, "-Sit down girls for a moment-".

"-Yes Professor-", they chimed, quickly coming to place themselves in the seatswhere they had been instructed to go.

"-You know-", Ted looked Andromeda up and down, "-I think you look better like that-". Andromeda furrowed her brows.

"-What about me?-", smiled Molly.

"-Gorgeous Molls-", he chuckled, poking at the ink on her top lip, "-I recon you should grow out a real one of those-".

"-Well Mr Tonks-", Minerva seemed to change the way she had been speaking to Ted, sounding far more teacherly, "-Just to solidate todays lesson , and to make sure that you were at least listening to the recap from last year- What spell transforms objects into birds?-". She raised her brow to him questioningly.

"-I- Uh-", he sat up straight, feeling both girls staring at him. So he smiled smugly, not wanting to seem stupid- especially not in front of Black. "- _Avifors_ of course , Professor-". Andromeda seemed to recognise the word. She'd read it in one of the books from her families library. The Transfiguration books had actually been some of her favorite ones. It was such an interesting subject.

"-Well done-", Minerva praised, before lowered her voice, "-Now could you spell that for me?-".

Ted's eyes shot wide. "-Erm....Um...Um...-". Molly sniggered, covering her mouth upon receiving a look from Minerva. "-Oh I know...A- F.....or is it 'v'....A...V....E...v....again....".

"-No thats wrong-", stated Andromeda, to which Ted glared at her, "-Its A-V-I-F-O-R-S-".

"-How is there an 'F' if it sounds like a 'v'-", Tonks argued, "-It's a 'V' sound- like buzzing-".

"-Its not-", replied Andromeda, "-I read it in a Transfiguration book before- and it sounds like an 'F' too-".

"-Well it doesn't sound like an 'F'-", he mocked her accent, "-To me-".

"-Actually-", paused Minerva, quite entertained by the arguement, "-Miss Black is right-". She then examined the girl. "-Do you have much of an interest in Transfiguration subjects?-".

"-Yes-", she smiled, as Ted mimicked her under his breath, "-We have some books in our library...but I think I've read through most of them. I'd love to learn more about it though-And I also like your lessons too Professor...I think they are quite brilliant- ". Minerva seemed flattered and surprised, which was an affect Andromeda Black had commonly placed upon her.

"-Blimey- Library?-", Tonks then stated, to which Molly nodded.

"-Black is rich-", the girl informed.

"-No- I meant that sounds like my worst nightmare-", he informed .

"-Well for someone who barely has any logic it would be-", teased Prewett.

Minerva then looked to Ted and Molly, thinkning for a moment- And she supposed that it did not seem fair to point out Teds ....downfalls infront of his peers. She knew that as a student she would not have enjoyed such a thing happening to herself. "-Right....I suppose you two are free to go- I don't want to keep you for any longer Mr Tonks- I am sure Mr Prewett and Mr Prewett are dying without you-".

"-Wait- I can go?-", wondered a surprised Molly as she pointed to her lip, "-But what about my half-hitler-".

"-Is that really what you called it?-", sniggered Ted, to which Molly nodded, "-brilliant-". Yet the Professor seemed far less amused.

"-Yes- You and your _half- hitler_ may go- I am giving you a bit of leway seeing as this is the first time you have been brought to me- next time you will be receiving a detention-", Molly high fived Ted, with both of them leaping out of the chairs, "-and clean yourself up before your next class-". She watched them make their way to the isle sauntering down it. "-And Mr Tonks- we will continue our conversation another time-".

"-Course' Professor-", he responded, bouncing through the door.

Andromeda watched them go, not much wanting to be sat in the classroom alone with Professor McGonagall. "-Can I leave too?-". And she suddenly feared that maybe the woman was going to try and give her, alone, a detention. Bellatrix did always say that she didn't like her, and that made the womans likelyhood to dislike Andromeda, taken from each of her interactions with Ted Tonks, higher.

"-Just one moment-", she watched as the Professer quickly, and thoughtfully made her way over to her desk, scribbling something down on a piece of paper , "-I always enjoy encouraging my students-". Andromeda raised her brow. "-Especially if they have a prior interest in my subject-". Minerva popped her quill back into a pot of ink, waving around the paper as she made her way back over to Andromeda. "- And I would suggest these to you if you wish to further your knowledge-". She handed her the paper. "-All of these books can be found in the library- you can't miss it- it's just off of the first floor-".

"-Really?-", Andromeda smiled, "-Thank you Professor-". She scanned the titles, recognising a few from the list.

"-I'd recon if you manage your way through those you'll be of a higher level than some of my fifth years-", she chuckled, "-But do not tell them that-". Andromeda looked to the woman as she smiled, noticing that when she did so, she seemed far younger than usual. Actually she didn't appear much more aged than some of the seventh years she had seen around the school.

"-Professor-", then asked Andromeda, "-I was wondering...How old are you?-".

The woman raised her brow. "-That question is hardly appropriate Miss Black-", she returned.

"-Oh...sorry-", Andromed apologised without hesitance, standing, "-So....I can go, right?-".

"-Yes-", she nodded towards the door, "-I am sure that Miss Prewett is waiting for you-".

/////

"-I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity....-". Alphard sat in a chair by the shelves of books in the Rosier library with Narcissa, who was distracted by her little doll, sat by his feet whilst humming to herself as her Uncle chattered away about things thats she did not understand. He'd spent many hours in the library, wallowing in the dusty warmth of its walls. And , he had managed to kidknap himself some company, though she was not the most talkative. Yet he was sure that her dear mother would appear any time soon to snatch her away. Narcissa was Druella's little princess after all- her clear favorite of all of the girls . "-You know who said that-". Narcissa glanced up to her uncles smile, blinking at him. "-Edgar Allen Poe-". Yet despite the grandeur in which he spoke the name the girl remained seeming entirely uninterested in what he had to say, going back to playing. "-Well you certainly aren't like your sister....she always wanted to know more about things such as this-".

"-Andy?-", questioned Narcissa sweetly.

"-Yes-", replied Alphard.

The girl finally placed down her doll frowning. "-I miss Andy-".

Alphard smirked sadly. "-Me too Narcissa....".

"-Well that makes sense-", she folded her arms, "-Bellatrix say's that Andromeda is your favorite-".

"-All of you are my favorites-", he returned, very clearly lying.

"-Nope-", argued the girl adimantly , "-Andromeda is-".

"-It may seem that way because we are close-", he responded, "-But I have no favorites- not when each of my nieces are most equally brilliant in their own ways-". He sunk back into the leather of his chair.

"-Well Mama thinks that you spend too much time with her-", then blurted the little girl nonechalantly, "-She was talking about it in the parlour with Aunt Walburga before she left -".

Alphard narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "-What?...What were they speaking of exactly?-".

"-That she was going to try and keep you away from Andromeda....they think that your a very silly man- ". There was one good thing about talking with Narcissa, and that was that she was still so young that her understanding of what should and shouldn't have been transferred to another was miniscule. She assumed that her mother wouldn't mind her telling her Uncle Aphard of such a private conversation because they had been talking about him.

"-And what did your Aunt say?-".

"-She said that Mama needs to keep a close eye on you-", announced the blonde, "-That she should check your room for letters or....Muggles things-".

"-Is that so?-", replied Alphard slowly, leaning down towards her, "-Thank you Narcissa-".

The girl gave him an odd look. "-For what?-".

"-For listening to my muttering of course-", he lied, "-You may leave now- I wish to think in silence-".

"-But I don't want to-", she responded, "-its warm in here-".

Alphard frowned, reaching into his pocket to pull out some droobles gum, to which the little girls eyes sparkled, "-If you leave you can have this-". And Narcissa had no hesitance in taking the sweet, exiting the room in a hurried manner. 


	18. The library

3rd of October, 1964

Hogwarts' library was a vast space, filled to the brim with all manner of magical books and strange artifacts that were lluminated by floating candles, which extuingushed the darkness of the space brought on by a lack of sunlight coming through the long thin windows that rattled with short, sharp gusts of wind. It gave the room is own ominious yet strangely inviting sort of tune that could be heard nowhere else within the castle. And it reminded Black of the library at home, within which she could sit by the fire for hours whilst the rain pattered down on the window. Well, that was usually until she was invaded by Bellatrix, or pestered by a bored Narcissa who wanted her to pretend to be a human doll- which was an occurance that had not occured in a grand amount of time. 

The first few days of October had brought with it a miserable grey sky, signalling that the strains of summer and hotter days had truely ended. It had seemed that almost overnight the world outside had changed to reflect the mid autum, with leaves turning brownish about their lower leaves and the grass of the Hogwarts grounds seeming rather limp and lifeless - almost just as lifeless as the inside of the library, which, as soon as they passed through the threashold, made Molly shudder. The smell of old books and the dusty air- Ted had been right. It was quite horrible. "-This place feels ....draining-", the girl groaned.

"-What?-", Andromeda looked around, spotting as many book titles as she could whilst traversing the isles with her eyes, "-I love it-".

"-Well I dont-". She took the paper from her friends grasp. "-You need to find all of these?-". Andromeda nodded. "-That will take forever-", she stated tiredly, snuggling into the neck of her jumper. It was late in the morning, and , by Molly's standards, still far too early to be staring at thousands of books. "-How about I-", she grabed the closest chair, sitting down, "-Place my backside here- and you go get your books- and then we- together- can go somewhere else other than here and you can read to your hearts content-".

"-But- are you sure you don't want to have a look around yourself?-", asked Andromeda.

"-One hundered percent-", replied Molly with a yawn, "-Go ahead - I'll be right here-". She smiled at the girl.

"-Okay-I'll be back as soon as I can-", beamed Andromeda, setting off through the central isle between the rows of shelves- looking around at the signs situated right at the edges, of which there were many. She could have very well been in there walking around for hours. There was so much to see- And whilst she bounced about there were other books that seemed to spark her interest, but she didn't want to spend too much time there as she had to get back to Molly. So the girl continued with her mind set on the books that she had been allocated by Minerva McGonagall. Well, that was until she paused by the end of one of the line of shelves, spotting, hunched over a small desk, Quinton Scamander, with his head of dark hair firmly planted in a book. "-Scamander?-". The boy lowered his page, spotting Andromeda. "-I thought that was you-", the girl smiled, "-What are you doing alone- Where's Amos?-".

"-What?-", he raised a questioning brow, "-Amos?-".

"-Yes- He's your friend- no?-". Quinton shook his head. "-Oh...I just assumed that the pair of you were...".

"-We aren't-", replied the boy plainly, looking back to his book as Andromeda hovered there, until he turned his attention to her again, "-Why are you staring at me?-".

"-Well I was actually wondering if you had any clue where these-", she came over towards him, to which he brought his arms to his chest, sitting back in an awkward sort of way, "-Could be found-".

Quinton quickly read the list, taking a moment of considerate silence before providing Andromeda with the small, sort-of-smile that he often bore. "-I- Um- Suppose so-", he climbed out of his seat, slipping his book beneath his arm, "-Follow me-". And Andromeda shadowed Quinton through maze of literature and facts that engulfed them , crossing over the middle isle until they came to some shelves of books labled, most unhelpfully, in latin. "-Lets see-", he spoke to himself, searching through them, "-There- Isn't that one...and the one beside it too?-".

"-Oh - Thank you Scamander-", she returned, hurrying to grab the book he had pointed at .

"-Call me- Um - Quin-", he returned to the girl, not much liking being reffered to by his surname alone .

"-Quin-", repeated Andromeda, "-Oh, I like that-".

"-Really?-", the boy smiled a little, "-I prefer it over Quinton too-".

"-Right-", she affirmed kindly. 

"-B-But You may call me whatever you like-", he returned quickly, not wanting to feel as though he were forcing her to call him a such. 

"-I think Quin will do nicely-". Andromeda then read the title, coming to pick up the book beside it. "-You wouldn't happen to know where the rest of them are-".

"-I- I suppose so-", she boy becalmed her to follow him , and they made their way around the shelves to collect the rest of the books, sharing the odd, quite comment. And after what felt five minuets ( which in reality was, at the least, an hour) they came to the entrance of the book shelves , from which they could see Molly half-asleep in the chair, threatening to fall onto the ground.

"-There you are-", she blinked harshly to stay awake, "-I thought one of the books swallowed you whole-". She smiled at the boy. "-Hello Scammander-".

"-Its Quin actually-", corrected Andromeda, to which the boy gave her a timid smirk.

"-Quin- thats cool-", replied Molly, coming over to take some of the books from Andromeda's arms, "-Well you ready to go Andromeda?-".

"-Yeah -", she nodded, glad to have found everything, "-Thank you for your help Quin-".

"-Oh...Right-", he looked down a little, having actually enjoyed being helpful, "-You're welcome-".

"-Well- off we go then- maybe we can get to the hall by _lunch_ -", Molly tugged at Andromeda's arm to pull her along, until she paused, looking back to Quinton.

"-Wait Molly-". She tugged away from her grasp. "-Would you like to join us Quin?-".

He blinked at them in surprise. "-Oh....I dont....-". He teetered uneasily. "-I suppose so-".

"-Great-", then beamed Molly, "-The more the merrier-". She lunged, grabbing Quinton by the shoulders. "-Come on-".

/////

Andromeda skimmed through the first book from the pile that now rested beside her on the table as Qinton opened up his sandwhich, picking out pieces as Arthur raised his brow at the boy, looking to Molly, who nodded towards him. "-Hi-", he then greeted, "-I'm Arthur Weasley-".

"-O-Oh...I'm Quinton Scamander-", he smiled weakly.

"-Scamander!-", exclaimed Arthur, "-Thats amazing!- Your dad's the most famous Magizoologist ever!-".

The boy seemed to frown at the praise. "-Right...thats dad....".

"-Hey you wouldn't know much about Muggle Animals? Would you-", continued Arthur with a smile.

"-Erm....No-", Quinton replied stiffly, "-I don't really like animals-".

"-What do you like?-", then asked Andromeda, looking up from her book. She hadn't expected the son of Newt Scamander to not like the company of animals- and so, was entirely curious as to what could entertain him. 

"-Oh...I like....-", he showed her his book.

"-Potions?-". The boy nodded.

"-I want to work in a hospital one day...maybe....-", he then stated.

"-Oh I could never do that-", replied Molly, picking up a goblet of water, "-Blood and stuff- ugh- It mades me feel unwell-".

"-It doesn't bother me-", replied Quinton honestly, "-And I want to be a hospital potions master...not a nurse or doctor-".

"-Jesus- Whats happening here?-". They looked to the end of the table as the Prewetts and Ted came bounding over. "-I never knew you liked to read ,Molly-", joked Ted, seeming far less amused upon discovering that Andromeda was sat behind the pile. "-Oh , its _you_ -". Fabian placed himself down inbetween Andromeda and Quinton, not noticing the boy at all- And Quinton shifted away from him a bit.

"-Hello Ted-", greeted Andromeda nonechalantly, looking down to her book- to which Gideon sniggered a little.

"-Hello?-".

She glanced to him from beneath her eyebrows. "-Isn't that what you are supposed to say to someone when greeting them?-".

Molly smirked, seeing the 'gears' in Ted's head turning. "-Just sit down you buffoon-", she grabbed him by the arm, tugging the boy into his seat, "-Oh- boys- this is Quinton Scamander-".

"-Hey-", they chimed, apart from Fabian, who turned his head, coming to silently stare at the boy as he furrowed his brows at him, seeming as though he was shrinking into his robes.

"-Oh wait- I know you-", spoke Ted, "-your one of our firsties-".

The boy nodded, turning his attention back to Prewett who's hazel eyes searched his face as the boy avoided meeting them . "-H-Hello?-".

"-Fabian-", Molly clapped her hands, startling him, "-Godric- your scaring the poor thing- ".

"-O-Oh- sorry-", his cheeks turned a little red, "-I-I'm Fabian....Fabian Prewett-". He held out his hand, and Quinton weakly shook it. "-I like your eyes by the way...they're....cool-".

Quintons face softened a little. "-They're just really dark brown?- like my moms-".

"-R-right-", Fabian turned his head away quickly, "-A-Anyway- Molly , Birthday - what are we doing? We just need to be sure-".

"-I recon it'll just me, you , me, Ted, Andromeda and...Arthur- you wanna come?-".

"-What do you mean?-", wondered Arthur, feeling a little shrill of excitement from being invited anywhere by Molly.

"-Just to hang out in the twins room in the Gryffindoor tower for my birthday- nothing too exciting-", she responded, "-You can come too if you want Quinton-".

"-I...don't know...", replied the boy, looking down.

"-Wait- what time will this be?-", wondered Andromeda, flicking a page of her book. She was already hesitant about going along with it. She didn't want to get into any trouble, and staying out late was one sure way of finding it. 

"-Why?-", smirked Ted, "-Scared of the dark?-".

"-No- but I don't want to get in trouble for being out of bed after hours-", she stated, shaking her head at him.

"-Well if its too much longer after hours I'm sure the boys don't mind you crashing in their room-".

Andromeda choked on her own saliva. 'Crashing' in a boys bedroom. She was sure that if she were to have relayed that to her mother that the woman would have very easily keeled over and died. "-I'm sure Bellatrix wouldn't want me to....". Her voice droned to silence as Tonks gave her a judgemental look, seeming amused. "-Actually- That'd be fine-", her tone changed almost immediatley- To which Ted chuckled.

"-Sure it would-", he leaned over, resting against Mollys shoulder.

"-Ted, your bloody heavy-", she groaned, shifting .

"-But your shoulder's well soft-", he hugged her arm so that she couldn't move too far away from him, being practically pinned in place.

"-You know you wouldn't be lying over everyone if you actually slept for once-", returned Molly, accepting her fate. She was usually the last person the boy would lounge over as she was the most likely to throw him on the floor or something of that nature.

"-Are you having trouble sleeping?-", then asked Andromeda as he closed his eyes, listening to what Molly had said.

"-No-", Ted growled.

"-Well-", she continued, ignoring him, "-I find that if you talk to yourself you fall asleep faster- or if you read a book-".

"-Are you joking-", scoffed Ted, "-Jesus christ you are mental. Who talks to themselves?-".

"-Me-", replied Arthur and Quinton at the same time.

"-Well...I rest my case-", responded Tonks bluntly.

"-Im not 'mental'-", whined Arthur.

"-No-", remarked Ted, "-You are just 'Ducking ' mad-".

"-Oh you are despicable-", laughed Molly, shoving him off of her, "-for that you can sit up-". 


	19. Pompion potion

October 5th, 1964

Andromeda crossed her legs at the end of her bed, resting a book on her lap to scan through just as she had been doing for a few hours at that point, filling her mind with pages of knowledge after knowledge. The book was full of all kinds of higher level Transfiguration spells and tales, of which many of them she were tempted to try. But she didn't want to risk breaking something with her limited skills-So she continued to flick through her pages upon pages of letters, stopping on one that quite easily caught her eye by the little moving image of a rabbit that sniffled and flapped its ears by the bottom right corner .

**The Lapifors spell**

**(La-P-I-For-s)**

**A transforming spell that can be used to transform the target into a rabbit. This works best on smaller targets, such as statues, salamanders or cats. When the incantation is spoken a wand will produce a green light that will strike target. As with most Transfiguration spells, the Lapifors spell can often be dangerous, especially if used on a living creature or Wizarding folk as some of the changes could be made perminent if the spell is to have gone wrong. One example of this is the poor Miss Greyfoot, who, due to her temptation to cast herself into a rabbit friend for her own little bunny 'sniffles' ,became stuck with large rabbit ears when attempting to be Transfigured back into a witch, which she now wears wrapped around her jaw.**

Andromeda couldn't imagine perminantly having rabbit ears on top of her head. She was sure that it could have very easily become annoying, especially when trying to squeeze through doorframes and traverse low bearing halls. Your ears would be constantly tickling at the ceiling in the most uncomfortable way. Well, that was if you were tall enough to reach the ceiling. At that moment in time she was barely tall enough to hop into her bed without running up to it first. "-Lets not try that one, shall we-", the girl muttered to herself, shifting about in her dress as the handle of her dorm room door turned- And she peered up from her book to spot Bellatrix stood there, with her wild hair tucked back into a neat ponytail as she smirked. "-Hey Bella-".

"-Andy-", she returned in the same tone, "-Me and the Lestranges were playing Wizards chess- but its a tag team and I need a partner- care to join us?-".

Bellatrix's offer had sounded more like a demand. Plus, she knew that Andromeda was not brilliant at Wizards chess. She often found herself being beaten by her little cousin Sirius, who was far better at the game. "-I don't know-", she scanned the books around her. In just a few days she'd finished one and a half of them, and wanted to try and get a little more reaf from the pages so that maybe she could inquire to Professor McGonagall about some of the questions she had increasingly amounted from reading, such as : ' Does a Transfiguration spell wear off eventually even without a counter curse?', or if 'some of the spells that say they are to be used on the inhuman can be adversley used on the human too?'. Their answers were quite interesting to her. "-I really want to read-."

"-So-", Bellatrix leaned against the doorframe, "-You have time for _Mudbloods_ , Prewetts and books- but none for your sister anymore....We used to spend most of our time together Andromeda. You can at least provide me with ten minuets- thats more than I got that day when I had to drag you from the hall myself...and you looked entirely miserable on the saturday you were meant to spend time with me....us-".

Andromeda furrowed her brows. "-What are you getting at ?-".

"-I mean- I .... _miss_ you Andy-", she admitted, sounding entirely false. She mostly just wanted Andromeda to come downstairs so that she had a better chance of winning Wizards chess, yet she knew the best way to do it was to guilt her into moving her backside.

"-But.... -".

"-See- you have no reason to argue-", replied Bellatrix, "-So come on- you can't let a Black loose to a pair of Lestrange's-". She stared at her, gritting her teeth. "- _Andromeda_ -".

"-Okay- Okay-", the girl returned, folding the page that she had been reading. And she placed it down on her bed, following her sister out onto the steps and down into the common room, where, at one table, sat the lestrange boys, arguing over which side of the Wizards Chess board they would take. Well , that was until the girls appeared, and the pair of them sat up straight. "-Hello-", greeted Andromeda uneasly as they sneered, coming to sit in a seat across from Rabastian as Bellatrix came to lounge next to her.

"-Hello-", he hissed in response, looking between the girls before Bellatrix raised her finger.

"-Say we look alike once and I will gouge your eyes out-", she snapped, to which the boy cocked a brow, falling silently back into his seat, "-Now- lets make a bet shall we-".

"-A bet?-". Andromeda didn't like the sound of that.

"-Fine-", smirked Lestrange, "-We win- you give us six Galleons-".

Bellatrix bobbed her head. "-Bella?-", Andromeda couldn't beleive her, "-Where are you going to get six Galleons from?-".

"-Aunt Walburga ,of course-", she responded obviously, coming to then clasp her hands together, leaning onto the table, "-But what do you two boys have to offer that matches the price of six galleons-".

They thought for a moment, before smirking to eachother. "-We'll show you-", replied Rodolphus, "-If you win-".

"-Thats a terrible way of betting-", responded Andromeda rationally, "-For all you know they could give you six galleons worth of paper bats-".

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "-Do you swear that it is worth that amount of Galleons?-".

"-Of course-", they chimed with a snigger, "-More even- we aren't quite sure-".

"-Its worth it-", confirmed Rabastain, "-So- you in?-".

Andromeda watched as her sister reached over the table, shaking the boys hand. And so they began, with Bellatrix almost shouting out movements to the pieces, and her sister , less enthusiastically commanding them. Yet the Lestranges were quiet and careful, making their hushed motions until, after a little while, they were almost head to head. "-Ready to loose , Black-", smirked Rodolphus, to which the girl sneered.

"-Actually- are you ready to loose?-", Bellatrix returned, spotting her chance. She then commanded a dark chess piece that the boys had neglected to keep their attention on, allowing it to pass through and cut down their queen. And she celebrated as the piece crumbled onto the board, signalling her victory in a glorious manner. "-Haha!-", she hoped up onto the chair, "-Pay up boys-".

"-But-", Rabastian looked to Rudolphus, regretting the terms of their bet, "-We aren't meant to give it away brother...-".

Rodolphus sighed. "-We lost, fair and square- and besides-it's not as though father will notice-", the boy stood from his seat, "-Give me a moment-". Bellatrix beamed from ear to ear until the boy returned with a little satchel, holding it out to her.

"-What is it?-", wondered Andromeda as her sister took a peak inside.

"-A KNIFE!-", she tugged it out from the satchel, revealing its silvery edges and cross shaped point.

"-A KNIFE?-", Andromeda worried, "-You can't have a knife in school?-".

"-So-", she returned, examining it, "-Its beautiful-".

"-B-But you could get in trouble-", stated Andromeda, standing up. Having a knife in school sounded like a terrible idea.

"-Its not like i'm planning on stabbing anyone-", returned the girl.

"-But-". The Lestrange twins sniggered at her. "-....Fine. But if anyone finds out you have a knife I have nothing to do with it-". She turned away from the table. "-Goodnight sister-".

"-What-?", Bellatrix shifted on her seat to watch her go , "-You leaving already?-".

"-Yes-", stated Andromeda, "-I-I have reading to do-".

"-Oh you are so boring sometimes-", Bellatrix shook her head, "-Go on and wallow in your knowlegde or whatever-". She drew the knife from the packaging. "-Oh-ho-ho- hello my new friend-".

"-Its only a display knife Bella-", informed Rudolphus, slightly worried, "-don't play around with it- i'd seriously hurt someone-".

"-Yeah-", agreed Rabastian, feeling as though they had made a mistake, "-Wounds from that don't heal easily...thats what father said -".

"-I'm not going to use it- I've already said that-", scoffed the girl, "-Who do you think I am- some kind of Murderer?-".

//////

October 6th , 1964

"-A knife?-", Molly shook her head, glancing into the potions book placed between her and Andromeda. The entire Potions classroom was filled to the brim with smoke from couldron fires as Slughorn danced his way about the room , instructing the students individually on what to do. He wanted to test their practical abilities, and so had set them the task of attempting to make a potion from the textbook instructions- which had seemed to excited Quinton. He'd been the first one to set to work as Amos lounged about, receiving a compliment from the Professor as he inspected him, and a few house points too. "-That sounds like a bad idea-".

Andromeda, who was still flicking through the book for the correct page, had been recalling the events of the night before to Molly, who easily agreed that school was no place for a knife of that sort. "- Yep- but of course Bellatrix just wanted to keep the knife-".

"-What a surprise-", chuckled Molly, pressing her finger down on the page, "-This is the right one-". Both girls leaned over the letters, reading the name and then the instructions. "-You wouldn't happen to have made 'Pompion' potion before- right?-". Pompion potion, so it was written in the book, was a potion that could turn the drinkers head into a pumpkin, which sounded harmless, yet quite fun.

"-Nope-", chuckled Andromeda, "-Though I've seen mother messing about with Potions- and how hard can it be-".

"-Pretty hard-", chuckled Molly, picking up one of the vials that sat around the couldron between them , "- First we need to add this...crushed...goop to the couldron-".

"-Flitterby moth-", returned Andromeda, wrinkling her nose at the stodgy green substance, "-Thats quite foul-".

"-Looks like a face mask-", she replied with a chuckle, popping off the lid of the vile, "-Oh- smells like one too-".

"-Whats a face mask?-", wondered Andromeda as Molly poured the substance into the couldron, listening to it hiss against the bottom of the couldron.

"-Its erm- like a whole mixture of things you slather on your face to get nice skin-", she responded, placing the lid back on the vial whilst looking to Andromeda, "-Terrifies boys usually- most of them make you look like some kind of alien-".

"-Really?-", chuckled Andromeda, "-That sounds fun-".

"-Sort of- Theres these ones that make your face all hard-", she stated, "-I'll get some for our sleep over- I'm sure Wood wont mind trying to find some when they go to Hogsmeade this year-".

"-Sleep over?-".

"-Yeah- remember-", replied Molly , "-We spoke about it-".

"-I know-", she stated, "-But if I were to stay the night on your birthday...wouldn't that count as a sleep over?-".

"-Not a proper one-", argued Prewett, "-And you can have more than one sleep over-".

"-Right-", chuckled the girl, picking up one of the vials without looking, "-...I've been thinking about your birthday though...And It would be better If I went back to my own dorm...I wouldn't want my sister worrying about me. You know how the twins would probably be if you went missing for a night-". She poured the contents in. "-I-I mean they'd worry about you, no?-".

"-Actually they'd either come and find me- or leave me- its like flipping a coin- and Gideons more likely to come looking for me because Fabians a bit of a fairy-", she stated .

"-A fairy is crazy though-", replied Andromeda.

"-I mean like a Muggle idea of a fairy-", replied Molly, sniffing at the air, "...Something smells funny-".

"-Proabably the potion?-", replied Andromeda.

"-The potion smells like pumpkin?- this is weird-".

Quinton smelled it too, turning to the girls. "-What did you put in the couldron?-", and his talking to Andromeda brought Slughorn towards the table.

"-Um-", she looked to the vial, "-Bouncing bulb?-".

"-All of it?-", examined Quinton, to which she nodded, "-Well I'd reccomend standing back-".

"-What?-".

"-Stand back-", he politely brought the back of his hand to Andromedas stomach, pushing her saftely away as Slughorn came to peer into the couldron, which shuddenly shot a tidal wave for foamy goop at his face, covering him entirely. And Molly slapped her hands over her ears as the pot smashed off of the floor, with the sound ringing in the air, leaving their Professor stood their looking quite dumbstruck, sopping with it.

"-Sorry-", a clump slapped off of the table, and Andromeda had to bite the insides of her mouth as not to laugh, "-Professor-".

He shook a little. "-Thats quite alright Miss Black-", he shuddered, "-Quite alright indeed-". The man then glanced to the clock in the corner of his classroom. "-W-Why don't all of you students finish up-". He turned his back to the table, wetly squeaking away. And Molly turned purple from holding in laugher, cackling into her friends shoulder.

"-That was amazing-", she wailed- And even Quinton couldn't help but chuckle as he wiped at his head with a towel beneath his desk.

"-O-Oh I feel bad-", the girl chuckled, "-That was my fault-".

And by the end of their class Quinton was the only student with a successful Pompion potion, seeing as Molly and Andromeda had lost all of one of their ingredients- and he was rewarded with more house points. "-I really like Potions-", he spoked to himself with a smile.

"-You're good at it-", replied Andromeda, having overheard him, "-I'm, on the other hand, clearly quite helpless-".

"-Well-", Molly replied, "-You can't be good at everything-".

"-Thats true-", smiled Andromeda, "-How boring would that be?-".

"-Very-", Prewett responded, using the edge of the potions book to brush some goop from the table.


	20. Getting back at Bellatrix

October 16th, 1964

"- Please!-", whined Fabian and Gideon, as Wood glared at them over his page of writing, continuing to carefully scratch lines onto it as it rested on his thigh. He'd been sat happily by a window on one of the sixth floor corridoors, glancing out to the browning Hogwarts grounds, whilst jotting down what he was going to be doing for the team tryouts, until Ted, Fabian and Gideon had appeared in a flurry of questions and conversation , with the Gryffindoors having very clearly been following him from the Dormitory after finding their Hufflepuff friend . "-Come on Wood- Woodsy my man- The Woodman-", he laughed a little at the connotations of the last nickname . They had all proceeded to pester him upon disovering the boy, trying to find out what would be happening for the tryouts. Every year one captain from each of the houses was chosen to create the tryouts course, and the four team leaders had decided that in that year it was the Gryffindoors turn to design the course, seeing as the year before hand the Slytherins had cheated, making the course almost unbeatable for anyone who wasn't flying the most modern and streemline of brooms. A few students, due to this, had found themselves in brutal crashes, and others, being easily beaten by their 'snakey' aponnents. The team captain had lost his title after Minerva found out though, especially when she had gotten not one, but several complaints, which she had taken to Dumbledore. And the man had personally come to strip the boy of his title, and lecture him about his wrongs and rights. "-Come on-".

"-No-", he returned with a smirk, bringing the paper to his chest. Truthfully he would have loved to show them. There was no other group of students that he would have wanted to do well and get into their teams than the Prewetts and Tonks, but he just couldn't . 

"-But we have to know-", cried Fabian loudly, stomping his foot, "-Seriously- its going to drive us insane-". Ted nodded in agreement, resting his shoulder against the stone wall.

"-I. Am. Not . Telling. You-", he replied plainly, spelling out each word , "-It'd be seen as cheating- and even if you lot did pass because of it you wouldn't be allowed to join your teams. Not to mention the fact that I could loose my captain title, and I worked way to hard for it, even if it may not seem like much-".

"-Nobody will find out-", begged Ted, "-We swear-". The twins bobbed their heads quickly. "-We just really want to play-".

"-You are the last person I want to show this to-", he lied with a chuckle, "-I don't want the Hufflepuffs being more prepared than my Gryffindoors. You're already going to run circles around us-".

Ted groaned. "-Please- come on-I swear- I wont tell anyone- i'm good at keeping my mouth shut-".

"- _Never_ -", he stated finally, "-now stop annoying me you three- I'm sure you have better things to do- Like studying-". He looked directly at Ted. "-Or your Homework-".

"-Ughh- fine-", then replied Gideon, being the first one to give in, "-Screw you Wood-". The elder boy saluted to the three as they stepped away, grumbling amongst eachother. He could be a real stickler sometimes, and that was at the times when they really needed him not to be.

"-He's so annoying-", Fabian kicked at the floor, tripping himself a little, "-Why stick to the rules when you could help your friends out-".

"-Exactly-", agreed his brother as they turned the corner- And both of the twins stumbled back, crashing right into the back of the Lestranges, who sneered at them as they stared wide eyed. It seemed that they had been watching them with their dark eyes and sinister looks.

"-Well looky here-", smirked Rabastian, "-It seems someone was trying to find out the plan for next months tryouts-". He glanced behind him as Bellatrix, who had been looking to her nails, glared at them, most especially pointing that attention at Ted.

"-Ted Tonks-", smirked the girl, "-fancy seeing you here-".

"-I'd love to be able to return the same Bellatrix-", he hissed as Fabian slowly came to hide behind his shoulder, with Gideon shaking his head at the boy, "- _Move_ \- we need to get past-".

The three of them then came to stand in a row to annoy the boy. "-Walk past us- go ahead- We wont stop you".

"-We can't-", hissed Ted, seeing that there was very clearly no room at all for them to even attempt to get past.

"-No- ", smirked Bellatrix, "-You could always push past us-". Ted frowned. "-But you won't?- why is that?-".

"-Just move-", he stated.

"-A-Are you scared of me-", she teased, sneering at him.

"-No-", snapped Ted.

"-Yes-", whimpered Fabian quietly, receiving a glare from his brother.

"-Or is it that you know not to Step out of line around Purebloods-", she wrinkled her nose, lowering her voice , "-you pathetic little _Mudblood_ -".

"-Ted -no!-", stopped Fabian as the boy drew his wand, shaking it about in the direction of Bellatrix's neck.

"-HOW DARE YOU POINT YOUR WAND AT ME!!-", roared Bellatrix, still wearing quite the amused look, "- Didn't your mother teach you its rude to do that!?-". The Lestranges chuckled. "-Oh wait - she's a muggle-".

"-You are pushing your fucking luck Bellatrix-", he growled, tightening his grasp. The boy so wanted to hex her, then and there. Knock her off of her feet, or send her shooting out of a window. Yet It was clear that neither Gideon nor Fabian wanted that.

"-Oh really-", she raised her nose to him, "-What are you going to do?- Hex me?-", she opened out her arms grandly, "-Go ahead. I know you wont-". Ted glared at her.

"-Don't Ted-", stopped Gideon, snatching away the boys wand, "-its not worth it-".

Bellatrix brought her arms back to her sides, smirking. And she stepped out of the way, allowing Ted to storm past as she cackled, followed quickly by Fabian and Gideon. "-Awww leaving so soon-".

"-I'm sure your sister isn't going to like that-", remarked Rabastian, watching them get further and further away.

"-She doesn't seem to like anything nowadays-", returned the girl.

/////

"-She's just an idiot-", spoke Gideon resentfully as Ted marched his way into the Great Hall, thumping himself down at the Gryffindoor bench whilst cursing beneath his breath as the Lestranges and Bellatrix made their way into the room not long afterwards, making comments about the boy as they went . It was the first time that the three of them had been in the Great Hall together at lunch, and Ted knew that it had just been to annoy him. There was no other reason for her appearance. Especially seeing as her 'dear' little sister had not yet arrived. "-Really-".

"-You should have let me hex her-", replied Ted, thumping his fist down on the table- accidentally squishing the edge of a sandwhich, "-Knock her into next Tueday-". Fabian frowned, folding one leg over the other. It didn't sound like much of a good idea to him. "-Can I have my wand back?-".

"-No-", Gideon threw it across the table to his brother, "-Not until you calm down-".

"-Calm down?-", laughed Ted hysterically, "-She called me a...M-Mudblood... again and spoke about my Mam- thats twice now-".

"-And she will probably do it again, and again-", replied Gideon, "-She just tries to get to you so that you'll do something. It'll look bad if a Muggleborns seen hexing a pureblood....its exactly what she wants-".

His brother nodded his head in agreement. "-Gidsy is right.....I'm sorry Ted-".

"-Then if I can't hex her- you two should-", hissed Ted, looking between them.

"-We a-aren't stupid-", shuddered Fabian, shifting uncomfortablly, "-Bellatrix is way better than both of us with a wand. Don't you remember how powerful her knockback jinx was last year. We'd be done for... and besides....her uncle is our dads boss- he'd be fired if he found out we'd been hexing his niece-".

"-You two are just pansies-", he growled, not much caring for what they had to say.

"-I am not a pansie-", argued Fabian, to which Gideon cocked his brow, "-I . Am. Not-".

"-Then next time she starts hex her-", commanded Ted, "-or I'll do it- and you wont be able to stop me-".

"-To stop who?-". They looked up from their hushed circle to see Arthur stood there, coming to sit on the other side of Ted. "-Bellatrix?-".

"-How did you know that?-", replied Fabian.

Arthur cocked his head to Ted. "-Tonks' face says it all-".

"-What do you mean 'my face?'-", he responded, taking Arthurs observation as an insult.

"-You look like someone releived themselves in your pumpkin juice-", the boy stated- and Gideon chuckled a little.

"-Pissy Pumpkin Juice-". Fabian laughed too at the comment, and Ted couldn't help but smirk, despite his anger. "-MMMMM- delectable-".

"-Comes in three flavours-", added Arthur quietly, making Gideon snort.

"-Ahh yes- the forbidden flavours-".

Fabian gagged jokingly. "-Are we really going to have a sudden conversation about piss-".

"-It seems so -", Gideon laughed a little, until the joking air went a little flat, "-Tonks...its alright-".

"-No its not alright- How comes she gets to piss me off and I cant do anything back to her-", he growled.

"-Well maybe hexing her is not the answer-", replied Arthur, "-I'm sure doing that would only get you in more trouble-".

"-But what could Ted do to get to her without actually hexing her....", frowned Gideon, just as Molly and Andromeda came into the hall, making their way to sit down at the table. And Tonks turned his gaze down to the wood, narrowing his eyes in thought.

"-Godric-", spoke Molly, "-Who died?-". And after a moment, Ted looked up at Andromeda, smirking. 

He got it.

"-Heya' Black-".

She blinked at him, surprised to have gotten a hello for once. "-Hi....", her mouth turned into a little smile.

"-Can I ask you something?-", he wondered, to which everyone now seemed extremely confused. Ted was speaking to Andromeda without glaring at her every two minuets. What was next?- the ceiling of the Great hall falling down?

"-Erm...I suppose so-", stated Andromeda, folding her hands in attention.

"-Whats your favorite flavour?-". Fabian and Gideon both felt their cheeks turn red, having to hide their heads as not to make their laughter blatant.

"-I wouldn't reccomend answering that-", muttered Arthur.

"-My favorite flavour.....-", Andromeda genuinely thought about it for a moment, "-I suppose strawberry-". And in that moment the twins laughter became very audioable. "-What?-". Molly shrugged.

"-Bellatrix-", the girl looked to Rabastian from her glaring at one of the Sandwhiches, "-look-".

She glanced across the hall to Andromeda. "-What?-".

"-Tonks-", informed Rudolphus.

"-What about the Mudblood?-".

"- Look at his face-", replied the boy- and Bellatrix watched as he smiled at Andromeda, slowly coming to meet her gaze. And his smile turned into a grimace. 


	21. Letters

**Dear Uncle Alphard-**

**Is it normal for people to suddenly change. I mean, change suddenly, but in the slightest ways. I suppose you are probably confused as to what I mean, so let me explain. Do you rememeber the Muggle born boy Ted Tonks? He'd been spending such a great deal of time being , well, I suppose the correct word for it would be horrid. Yet a week ago I went to lunch with Molly and he was....okay with me being there. He did not seem to want to get rid of me as he had seemed the other times. I find it quite strange. But then again I know nothing of Muggleborns or Muggles. Are they prone to quick changes of the opinion. To switch their goals upon an instant. He's very odd, and it isn't though he is specifically being nice, just he's not being unkind- and ever since that day he hasn't really spoken a word to me- only given me the odd glance. Yet he always seems as though he looks to the door when he does so. Its curious. I find it strange and interesting at the same time. Peturbing yet facsinating. I would like to know more of Muggleborns. Maybe you could tell me more of what you know. I'm sure you know lots. You always have known about everything, having the answers to all of my questions. I remember you used to always quote that poet. I recall his name was Edgar Allen Poe. You reffered to him as one of the greatest poets of all time- and told me that he was Muggle. It is strange to me that you can find yourselves within the words of a man that it considered so different from us....or not so different according to you and Molly- that and understand him completely. Ted Tonks is the poem I cannot understand. His lines and verses scramble from anger to joy in my mind, and I have found myself thinking upon that fact when trying to read my books. I borrowed a selection from the Hogwarts library under the guidance of a one, Professor McGonagall. Bellatrix does not like her at all, but I find myself more inclined towards the woman. Despite the severity of her looks, she is wise and I think she enjoys the fact that I have such an interest in Transfiguration. Did you have one too? I'm sure you had an interest in many of the subjects that the school had to offer, no? What did you get for your owls?- oh and in transfiguration specifically? I am quite curious now.**

**Anyhow I must go now, It is late and I need to sleep. Give my love to Narcissa, mother, and father too. I very much miss home. But strangely I don't find myself missing it as much as I had beleived. Everything is a bit strange at the moment- but I guess a handful of _strange_ things have happened recently, yet none of them seem any less than brilliant.**

**-Andromeda**

**///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////**

**My Dearest Andromeda-**

**I have come to learn over the years is that your true home is where your heart lies. Home is with you always, in your thoughts, feelings and soul- so do not even feel as though you should miss it. But you will be joyed to know that I am missing our little chats. I have so much to tell. So much wizdom to give. Yet what I do not have is the means to speak it . Anyhow, about this Muggleborn boy. Ted Tonks.**

**It is strange that his opinion would change so quickly. Yet it is not a matter of Muggleborn or Pureblood in the sense of opinions. It is who you are as a person. Such as me and you. We see many things differently from the rest of the House of Black. We have our opinions, our thoughts and our feelings, ones , that I hope, will remain unchanged in your mind as you grow into a beautiful young Witch. Others are different. Their opinions can change upon the switch of a winds blow, or a single thought. It is hard to determine. I would act with little caution, and embrace these changes. Be kind and careful. You never know where it could lead. Now I must go, supper is being served and your father hasn't had a drink today, so I doubt he shall be the kindest.**

**Also , I received an Oustanding in Transfiguration, which made your Aunt, humirously, Furious.**

**-Your beloved Uncle, Alphard**

**/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////**

**Shitheads-**

**Seeing as you haven't given me back my Galleons, I'll assume that you'll have them back to me by Christmas. I want every last one, or I swear to Godric there will be trouble boys. Also, tell your sister that I said 'hi'. I miss her so dearly . The chair in the corner feels so empty without her little head of hair over there , bobbing away to her records. I cant believe my little girl is turning twelve. I've sent her a prezzie' - so make sure to give it to her tommorow. Tell her its from the 'best father in the world'. Also give Ted my love too. Tonksy says that he misses his boy, or maybe thats the tavern talking. We went to a Muggle one in town. It was a riot- literally. I know where Ted actually gets that temper of his from now . And Tonksy said that he'd try and fix up a Muggle car for us- maybe even teach your old man how to drive-now wouldn't that be something. Fifty-one and taking my first spin in a Muggle vehicle. Anyhow, be good you melons. Don't do anything too stupid. And at least make the bloody team, we gotta have Prewetts playing for Gryffindoor again before your sister gets there first.**

**-Lots of love, Dad'io**

**P.S. Tonks said that If you 'find that boy with _you know what_ on him, give him a good thumpin'.**


	22. Thirtieth of October

October 30th, 1964

It was most definately Molly Prewetts birthday. That much could be said. On the morning of October thirtieth the students of Hogwarts got to wittness the Prewetts and Ted Tonks marching into the Great Hall, chanting an hollering as Molly laughed, wearing an oversized pin that stated ever so clearly that it was her birthday, firmly attatched to her robes. And she giggled as they went screaming, waving over to Andromeda who had been sat with Bellatrix and the Lestrange twins, who hissed and growled at their little display. "- _MOLLY, MOLLY, MOLLY, YOUR OUR DOLLY-YOU ARE TWELVE NOW!-MOLLY, MOLLY, MOLLY, WE'RE SO JOLLY- YOU'RE A BIG GIRL NOW!!_ -". There were some little cheers to the song, with many students wishing the girl a happy birthday as she beamed from ear to ear across the room, being the highlight of the Gryffindoor table- And so Andromeda stood from her seat, leaving her bowl resting there.

"-Where are you going?-", asked Bellatrix, already knowing the answer.

"-To Molly-", replied Andromeda, "-Its her birthday-".

The three of them furrowed their brows, not seeing the importance, despite the Twins and Muggle borns display . "-So?-". Yet they received no response from Andromeda, who skipped across the room to sit down next to Molly as she danced in her seat, being served her breakfast like a queen by her brothers. And Bellatrix provided her with quite the begrudging glare.

"-H-Happy birthday-", she smiled to the girl, finding it an odd thing to say. Yet she'd overheard the other students saying it.

"-Thank you-", chuckled Prewett, surprising the girl with a very jolly hug that made her go a little stiff, "-If only we didn't have bloody lessons-".

"-Oi-", Fabian pointed at her with his spoon, "-No complaining on your birthday-".

"-Fabs is right-", smiled Ted, slinging his arm over the boys shoulder- And he spotted Bellatrix giving them a glare, then turning his gaze to Andromeda. "-So- are you coming tonight?-".

"- Oh- Yeah-", she replied , giving him a kind smile- yet it was quickly thrawrted by the recollection of what that meant. One issue she already had was possibly being out after curfew , and the other was singing.

"-Great-". Andromed looked away from them. "-Can't wait to hear that dying cat-".

"-Hey-", Molly glared at Ted as Black provided the boy with the most confused of looks. He'd been so placid recently, and then he'd suddenly decided to insult her? He really was quite the mystery, "-Right- you know what- Its my birthday- and I am setting some rules-".

"-Uh-oh-", chuckled Fabian, "-That doesn't sound too good for you Ted-".

"-What rules?-", inquired Tonks.

"-Well-", she looked between Ted and Andromeda, "- There will be no fighting. No hexing. No pranks. No bullying. No talking badly of people behind their backs- and I can make any other rules along the way-". Tonks didn't seem to see what was so bad about such a selection of rules. "- Oh-And you also have to do whatever I say- starting with you two having to compliment one thing about the other-". The girl smirked as the boys sudden dismayed look. "-Seeing as you spend far too much time picking on Andromeda, its only fair-".

"-No-", Ted shook his head quickly, "-Not happening-". "

"-Uh-um-", Molly smirked, "-My birthday-". The boy raised his shoulders in distaste, looking to Andromeda who appeared to be inspecting him already. "-You go first Ted-".

"-Whats happening?-", wondered Arthur, sitting down beside Gideon.

"-Ted has to compliment Andromeda-", he informed the boy, who nodded.

"-Well this'll be like pulling teeth-", Arthur commented.

"-I...uh...". Ted glanced around her face, looking her up and down for a rather long time.

"-Oh come on-", Molly encouraged, "-Its not that hard is it-".

"-It is hard when you don't like someone-", he muttered beneath his breath.

"-I'll go then-", announced Andromeda, heralding her Uncle Alphards words in her mind . Kindness was the only way forwards , "-I like your earring-". Ted sat up straight, rasing a brow. "-I also like when you smile- its a wierd smile-".

"-I thought we were only doing one-", he responded , slightly snarkily.

"-Well I believe that two compliments are better than one-", she stated in a cherpy manner, smiling at him.

Fabian then leaned to Teds ear. "-You better come up with a compliment because right now she's making you look like a di-".

"-Thanks Fab-",he spoke sarcastically, shunting him, "-I - Uh....". Her smile grew wider. "-I l-.....eugh...L-L....Like your smile too....". He took a closer look at it. She had a kind smile. When she smiled it was the only time that she looked very different from Bellatrix. A good different.

"-Thank you-", her smile grew even wider.

"-See-", Molly beamed, "-its not that hard to be nice-".

"-Maybe I should continue smiling forever-", chuckled Andromeda.

"-Yeah-", snarked Ted, "-Then you wouldn't look like your bloody sister-".

"-Oh- and would you like that?-", responded Andromeda, playing along to his surprise.

"-I- uh- ", his cheeks turned red, "-Bloody hell- no- Glare at me forever-".

///////

Molly and Andromeda's lessons went unbeleivibly quick, but that was probably because they spent the entire time talking about this and that, with Andromeda hinting about her worries, and after dinner, which the lot of them had rushed, Molly took Andromeda by the hand,leading her through the school and towards the moving steps. And they climbed up onto them together, with Andromeda making sure to look behind her. She was worried that Bellatrix would see her. Not that she thought she would get in trouble. Just that she was sure her sister if anything, would try and tag along. And she didn't want to ruin Molly's birthday. When she'd suddenly hopped up from the Slytherin table again, just like at breakfast, Bellatrix hadn't questioned it that time, which was lucky. So she stuck close to the girl as they came to the Portrait of the fat lady, with her giving Andromeda a judgemental look. "-Password-", she spoke, fixing a glass between two fingers. The Fat lady was not fond of young Slytherins lingering outside of her portrait.

"- _Godrics underpants_ -", spoke Molly, to which the woman gave Andromeda another look, before opening, allowing the girls in- And Andromeda was taken with the space, all red and warm, covered in blankets with homely sofa's and a brilliant view of the land around Hogwarts from the windows as Molly tugged her towards the steps, upon which she could see it all the clearer. And they made their way up, turning into another stairway until they came all the way to the top, finding themselves behind a door from within which music could be heard."-Oooh yes!- they've got the records-". She then pushed open the door, coming to meet the four boys, who beamed.

"-Molly!-", squeaked Arthur in delight.

"-Oy-oy Weasley-", she danced her way into the room , allowing Andromeda to linger in the doorway, looking around at the Prewett boys 'cave' , which was covered in paper decorations, mixed in with their cluttered belongings and brooms. And Ted sat on one of their messy beds with his guitare on his stomach, leaning his ear to it to hear the strings play. "-Andromeda?-", Molly becalmed her over, "-Oh come on-". Andromeda was hesitant to move, looking down the steps. She could have left then and there. "-Oh- you know what-", Molly came forwards, grabbing her by her hands, "-Move your booty-".She pulled the girl into the middle of the room so that she were forced to bounce about- And Andromeda couldn't help but giggle as they went along, with Ted slowly coming to place his guitare on the blanket beside him, watching them in a more interested than distasteful manner.

"-What is this song?-", laughed Andromeda, when Molly finally released her from the spin, her head dancing.

"-'Let's dance' by Chris Montez-", informed Prewett, looking as though she were punching at the air, "-Its class-".

"-Right-", chuckled Andromeda, stepping towards the record player as the song slowly stopped spinning , watching the little man on the picture in the centre spin around and around - and as she did so Arthur took his chances, jumping up to dance about with Molly so that both of them were laughing to the songs end.

"-Oh right- I almost forgot-", then exclaimed Gideon, who brought out a disk from behind his chest of drawer's, holding it out to Molly, "-Happy birthday-".

"-Yes-", she cried, snatching the record away, "-Its a new one-".

"-Dad said to say that it was from the best father in the world-", Informed Fabian, sitting down beside Ted, "-Or something like that-".

"-He is the best father in the world-", the girl smiled, coming to take the record disk out and place the new one in. And she waited with everyone else as the music suddenly picked up, and a raspy voice hollered: ' _I feel good'_. "-Yes-", Molly started bouncing about again, forcing both Gideon and Andromeda to join her bouncing as Fabian looked Ted up and down, spotting him rather pointedly staring at Andromeda.

"-Whats up with you?-", he wondered, crossing his legs, "-First your 'okay' with her in the hall- and now you look like you want to throw her out of a window?-".

Ted cocked his brow. "-Do I?-".

"-Yes-", spoke Fabian honestly, frowninf at him, "-Ted- I know when you are up to something-". He went to grab for his guitare again, when Fabian intercepted his hand. "-Ted..-".

Tonks immediateky considered lying to the boy- but he knew that there was a good chance that Fabian would just see right throught him. So he sighed. "-Fine....I think I worked out how to get back at Bellatrix-", Ted folded his arms, "-Like Arthur said, without hexing her, and without getting in trouble-".

"-What?-", Fabian looked to Andromeda, slowly working it out in his head, "-Wait...you aren't just pretending to be okay with her....when Bellatrix is around?-".

"-Maybe-", he replied plainly.

"-Ted-", Fabian shoved him, "-You can't do that- Its mean-".

"-What's 'mean' is that Bellatrix Black gets to piss me off all she wants and I can never do anything back-", he cocked his head to Andromeda, "-Now I can. And its not like I'm going to pretend to be her friend or anything-".

"-You are ridiculous-", he argued, "-Thats horrible to poor Andromeda. Think of how _you_ would feel-".

"-Well right now I feel a lot better spotting Bellatrix now I know that I'm getting to her-", he smirked, "-You should have seen her face-".

"-You aren't listening to me-". Ted closed his mouth. "-What if she thinks that you are trying to become her friend- and then she finds out that you are using her-".

"-I am not _using_ anyone-", replied Ted.

"-Yes....yes, you are- You are literally doing the definition of using someone at this current point in time-", he shook his head, to which the boy frowned, "-You know what would probably annoy Bellatrix more?- you _actually_ trying to get to know Andromeda- like me and Gids are..... Even Arthur -". He pointed to the boy who sprung a terrible joke at Black, leaving them in an awkward silence of misundertstanding. "-is trying to know her....you are the only one who isn't willing-".

"-Well theres one interesting thing in that all- isn't there-", he lowered his voice, "-I'm the only Muggleborn-".

"- _So_ -", Fabian replied.

"- _So_ you don't understand how it feels to have thew chance to finally get to Bellatrix-", he smirked, "-let me tell you-It feels great-".

"-This is not the way Ted-", stated Fabian, "-You are going to get yourself caught out- and then you are going to end up feeling very, very guilty again-".

"-What are you-", scoffed Ted, "-Some kind of Seer?....I'm not going to get caught, and even if I did...it wouldn't bother me-".

"-You can pretend that you are made of stone all you want Tonks-", Argued the boy, "-But you are the most ...emotion-y...out of the lot of us you know. The guilt you will feel wont be normal guilt. It will be terrible guilt-".

"-You know who you sound like right now-", chuckled Ted, attempting to ignore the boys words.

"-Who?-".

"-My dad-", replied Ted.

"-Well then, clearly your dad has a braincell or two up in that head of his-".

"-Right-", the boy shook his head,

After having their fun with dancing , Gideon crept from the dorm, leaving all the rest of them to sit around the room, telling stories and laughing. "-Okay -", Molly clapped her hands together, "-What is everyone's most embarassing story?-".

"-No-", Fabian shook his head, knowing what she was trying to get at, "-Don't you dare-".

"-My birthday-", she reminded, "-So- how about you go first Fabs?-".

The boy sighed. "-I sneezed on a little boys head in the middle of Digon Alley and everyone stared at me-".

"-No-", Andromeda laughed, "-Oh thats horrible-".

"-He looked so bloomin' traumatised-", cried Molly, "-And he just whimpered....'mama'-".

"-Thats not as bad as mine-", replied Arthur, "-I fell in a pond.... and when my dad got me back out....well my pants and trousers were gone-".

"-Stark Bollok naked from the waist down-", giggled Molly, to which the boy blushed a little, "-That would have been bad-".

Ted yawned, looking down to spot Fabian giving him a look- and he rolled his eyes. It was like he had turned into some kind of Ted Tonks watchdog. "-I got my earring caught on some ladies skirt-".

Andromeda giggled. "-What were you doing down that low?-".

"-I was trying to look at some purple flowers-", he returned slowly, not really wanting to answer her , "-And her arse just got real close to the spike of my earring- and the witch tried to walk away too-". The boy smirked at the memory. "-Ahh- what was it that dad said to her-".

"-Cant help young admiration-", finished Molly.

"-Thas' it -".

"-Purples my favorite colour-", then blurted Andromeda, to which Ted seemed to freeze, "-Its really pretty. It can be vibrant....and dull....Its somewhere between blue and red-.... My uncle used to say that its like the bridge between the colours of pass-".

"-Passion and sorrow....". She nodded to Ted, who felt a shrill of discomfort shudder up his spine. "-My....Mam used to say that....".

"-Well-", Andromeda commented, "-She seems very wize-".

Ted stared at Andromeda, opening his mouth - yet Molly took a sharp breath, quickly bringing back up the energy of the air before it plummeted to the deepest depths. Any conversation involving Mrs Tonks was never a good, or happy one- especially if it was involving a Black. And it was her birthday. She wanted everyone to be happy. "-Wanna' hear mine?-".

"-Sure-", giggled Andromeda, turning away. Yet Ted didn't. He stared at her, long and hard. He'd never heard anyone but his mother reffer to the could purple in that manner....and he was slightly annoyed by it.

"-Right-", she came onto her knees, "-So dad tried to cook this 'omlet' once-".

"-Oh Godric- no-", Fabian covered his ears.

"-And he took me, Fabs and Gids out to a Muggle fun fair-", she could almost feel the rides spinning as she sat there, "-And I got sick, upside down in the air- and it landed on the guy operating the ride, which he slowly brought down, staring at me the entire time-".

"-Thats horrible-", replied Andromeda, "-But whats an amusement ride?-".

"-What?-", the Prewetts and Tonks squeaked.

"-Its like something you go on and it spins around, upside down and stuff-", then explained Arthur, not surprised that a Black wouldn't know anything about amusement rides, "-I don't really like them- but my brother does-".

"-You have a brother?-", questioned Molly in surprise, to which he nodded.

"-A younger Brother- Billius-". The boy then yelped in surprise as a few taps came to the door, making the others laugh.

"-And That would be _my_ younger brother by a few minuets, Gideon-", Fabian hopped up to his feet, rushing to the door, and he slowly opened it, begining to sing, "- _Happy birthday to you_ -". Gideon came through the door with a cake on a platter, which had sprinkles and candles that bobbed and danced around. And Molly smiled as they brought it inside placing it before her so that she could blow it out- to which Andromeda couldn't help but beam at the energy in the air, trying her best to mime along even though she had no clue what they were singing. Then they shared out the cake between them, and Andromeda savoured every taste of it. She most definately had a sweet tooth. "-We had to pester the house elves to make this for us-", informed the boy, "-They were getting really annoyed-".

"-You went to the kitchens?-", wondered Andromeda, to which the Twins nodded.

"-Wood told us where they were-", informed Gideon, "-He knows a lot about the school-".

"-He's also good-", chewed Ted, "-At keeping secrets when he wants to-".

"-Secrets remind me of my aunt...she always looks like she has loads of them -", remarked Andromeda without thinking , charmed by the delights of the evening, "-Oh dear, that was a terrible thing to say-". She'd almost forgotten, in her excitement, who she was around. 

"-Does your family have...a lot of secrets?-", wondered Ted rather too eagerly, to which Fabian gave him a concerned frown.

"-I don't know-", replied Andromeda, "-Uncle Aplhard says they do- and normally I beleive -".

"-Right-", Fabian cut them off, "-Weren't you two meant to be singing for Molly-". Ted elbowed him in an annoyed manner as Andromeda frowned. 

"-I-Uh-".

"-Oh yeah-", smiled Molly, looking to her friend .

"- I'll go first then , eh-", stated Ted, shoving the rest of his cake into his mouth. And he grabbed for his guitare, placing it on his lap, to which Andromeda stared at all of the strings and the way in which he placed his fingers upon them as Molly then sat forwards, bunching closer up to Andromeda. "-What song do you request?-".

"-Oh- Hmm-", Molly thought for a moment, then smiling, "- Sing that one- the one...by Paul something-".

"-Ah-", he smirked, dancing his fingers across the strings.

"-But!-", paused Molly, giving him a devious look, "-In spanish-".

"-Spanish-", he chuckled , "-This is meant to be a song , not a challenge-".

"-Are you refusing to sing it how I want on my birthday-", she retorted with a smirk.

"-I-". Ted sighed. "-Fine- hopefully I remember this....". The boy then cleared his throat, sitting up straight, before beginning to stroke at the strings. "- _Apoya tu cabeza en mi hombro....Recogeme en tuz brazos....baby_ -".

"-Oi-", chuckled Molly as he strummed, "-That was English-". And Ted stuck his tongue out at her for a moment before continuing to sing on and on, smirking as he did so. He had quite the voice, and every so often his little welsh accent would leap through the spanish, which at some moments, sounded quite odd. Yet it just seemed to add to the charm of it. And Molly forced them all to give him a little clap when he had finished, to which the twins took that as an invitation to dive on top of him."-BOYS-", she hopped to her feet , saving Teds guitare, as Andromeda looked to the window, noticing how dark it is.

"-Arthur-", the boy nodded, having taken to finishing off Ted's cake, "-You wouldn't happen to know what time it is?-".

"-Oh- yeah-", he replied , pulling at his sleeve to reveal a rather higgldy , piggldy watch, "-Its- erm-....nearly half....nine-".

"-Oh dear-", Andromeda shifted uncomfortably. If she would have left then she could have made it back to the common room by curfew. Yet she had to sing for Molly- But then again she didn't want to be trapped in the Gryffindoor tower. It was a difficult situation. And she was sure that Bellatrix would have been wondering where she was. That thought in particular made her stomach sink a little. She should have told Bellatrix where she was going- Or at least she felt as though . The girl was her big sister after all.

"-Molly-", then spoke Andromeda a little apologetically , "-I want to go back to Slytherin house-".

She frowned. "-I already said you could stay here if it got too late Andromeda-".

"-I know....but...I'd feel more comfortable getting back-". She didn't feel comfortble staying in Gryffindoor tower, despite how homely it seemed.

"-But your song-". She stared into Andromedas face, seeing that she truely wanted to leave. "-Ah- Alright then- But you still owe me it-". She tapped Gideon on the side. "-Take her back to Slytherin would you-".

"-What?-Why me-", he complained.

"-Well, I can't trust Ted to go because he will probably pick a fight with the door- and Fabian is scared of everything-". She smirked. "-And it's still my birthday-".

Gideon sighed , standing up straight. "-Well- come on then Black-", he made his way towards the door, and Andromeda followed after him, smiling back to Molly for a moment until the girl was out of sight.

"-And she's gone-", half-celebrated Ted- to which Molly glared at him.

"-Don't be bloody mean Tonks-". Fabain looked the boy up and down, shaking his head weakly so that he was the only one to notice. 


End file.
